Polymerase Chain Reaction for Chronic Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Yields Higher Sensitivity in Blood Clot Than Buffy Coat or Whole Blood Specimens

Sean Fitzwater Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Maritza Calderon Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Carlos LaFuente Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Gerson Galdos-Cardenas Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Lisbeth Ferrufino Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Manuela Verastegui Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Robert H. Gilman Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Caryn Bern Department of International Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Hospital Universitario Japonés, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Asociación Benéfica Proyectos en Informática, Salud, Medicina y Agricultura, Lima, Perú; Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia

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Trypanosoma cruzi polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used, but sensitivity varies widely. We compared PCR using 121/122 primers targeting kinetoplast minicircle DNA in whole blood, buffy coat, and clot from Bolivian women. Sensitivity was significantly higher in clot (60.1%) than buffy coat (46.5%) or whole blood (40%). The use of clot could simplify specimen collection while improving sensitivity.

Author Notes

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