[Notes on rapid diagnostic tests for chronic Chagas disease]

Bull Soc Pathol Exot. 2017 Feb;110(1):9-12. doi: 10.1007/s13149-017-0546-6. Epub 2017 Jan 23.
[Article in French]

Abstract

A rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is a test that can quickly determine (from minutes up to 2 h) a diagnosis. It is a simple, quick, and inexpensive technique that does not require complex equipment or specialized staff. For this reason, such tests have been proposed for the diagnosis of Chagas Disease (CD), which affects populations difficult to reach, or migrants in nonendemic areas, where there is a low prevalence of the disease. With these notes we take into consideration one of the best RDTs for CD currently available on the market as an example and make some comments on its use in the field on the base of the current evidences.

Keywords: Accuracy; Chagas disease; RDT; Rapid diagnostic test.

MeSH terms

  • Chagas Disease / diagnosis*
  • Chagas Disease / epidemiology
  • Chronic Disease
  • Diagnostic Tests, Routine / methods*
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Time Factors