[Immunoenzymatic evaluation of the recombinant SAPA protein of Trypanosoma cruzi in naturally infected dogs]

Abstract

We evaluated the recombinant antigen SAPA (Shed Acute Phase Antigen) for the detection of Trypanosoma cruzi antibodies in sera from naturally infected dogs. The technique used was ELISA and the antigens were a homogenate of parasite T. cruzi (ELISA-H) and the recombinant SAPA (ELISA-SAPA). We analyzed 93 sera from dogs by ELISA-H and ELISA-SAPA, which were grouped as follows: G1: 11 negative control sera from the city of Salta, G2: 11 positive control sera from dogs naturally infected with T. cruzi and G3: 71 samples of dogs belonging to a Chagas disease-endemic area. The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA-SAPA were 100 %. The kappa index between ELISA-H and ELISA-SAPA was 0,85. These results confirm the use of SAPA antigen in the diagnosis of infection with T. cruzi in dogs.