Shed acute-phase antigen protein in an ELISA system for unequivocal diagnosis of congenital Chagas disease.

摘要

Chagas' disease, or American trypanosomi-asis, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is the most common cause of heart disease in Latin America, and approximately 13,000-45,000 cha-gasic patients die each year. Owing to the increasing control of the transmission routes mediated by the vector, blood transfusion and organ transplant, vertical transmission has become more relevant in terms of public health.