We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

CHEMBIO DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS

Chembio develops, manufactures and commercializes diagnostic solutions and products for the rapid and early detection... read more Featured Products: More products

Download Mobile App




Rapid Diagnostic Tests Evaluated for Chronic Chagas Disease Patients

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 15 Jun 2021
Chagas is a disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and is one of the most important public health concerns affecting the population of Latin America. More...
This disease presents an acute phase that generally goes undiagnosed and a chronic phase with cardiac manifests principally, is diagnosed through serological tests that are generally not available.

In the Americas, up to 99% of cases of Chagas Disease (CD) and more than 90% of cases of CD in Europe are undiagnosed. Serological diagnosis in the chronic phase of CD is based on the detection of circulating antibodies through conventional reactions such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test, Indirect Immunofluorescence (IIF), Indirect Hemagglutination (IHA), Chemiluminescence (ChLIA) and Western blot/Immunoblot.

A group of international scientists led by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) evaluated the diagnostic precision of two rapid diagnostic tests (RDT’s) on patients with chronic CD. They included in the study 305 participants from rural and urban area of Colombia of which 215 were negative for T. cruzi and 90 were positive according to the reference criteria. Of the participants, 60.7% were women, 39.3% were men, the median age was 47.1 ± 18.5years old, the youngest participant was 3 years old and the oldest participant was 80 years old.

All samples were analyzed using the ELISA Chagas III tests (GrupoBios, Santiago, Chile) and with the Chagas ELISA IgG+IgM tests (Vircell, Granada, Spain) as reference standards. The Two RDT’s were performed to all participants were the Chagas Detect Plus (CDP, InBios, Seattle, WA, USA) and the Chagas Stat-Pak (CSP, Chembio Diagnostic, Hauppauge, NY, USA).

The scientists reported that 305 subjects were included in the study (38 patients with leishmaniasis), of which 215 tested negative for T. cruzi and 90 tested positive according to the reference standard. The sensitivity of the RDT’s were 100% (CI 95% 95.9–100), and the specificity of the CDP was 99.1% (CI 95% 96.6–99.8) and for CSP was 100% (CI 95% 98.3–100). The agreement of CDP was 99.5% and for CSP was 100% with Kappa values of (k = 99.1; CI 95% 92.6–99.8%) and (k = 100; CI 95% 94.3–100), respectively. RDT’s did not present cross-reactions with samples from patients who were positive for leishmaniasis.

The authors concluded that the findings demonstrated excellent results from the RDT’s in terms of validity, safety, and reproducibility. The results obtained provide evidence for the recommendation for using these tests in a Colombian epidemiological context principally in endemic areas in which laboratory installations necessary to perform conventional tests are not available, or they are scarce and to help in diagnosing chronic Chagas disease in order to provide access to treatment as soon as possible. The study was published on June 2, 2021 in the journal PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

Related Links:
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
GrupoBios
Vircell
InBios
Chembio Diagnostic



New
Gold Member
Cardiovascular Risk Test
Metabolic Syndrome Array I & II
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
New
Sperm Quality Analyis Kit
QwikCheck Beads Precision and Linearity Kit
New
HBV DNA Test
GENERIC HBV VIRAL LOAD VER 2.0
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: Colorectal cancer under the microscope (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Unique Microbial Fingerprint to Improve Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second deadliest. New research has revealed that it carries a unique microbial fingerprint, which could help doctors better understand... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: New research points to protecting blood during radiation therapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Pioneering Model Measures Radiation Exposure in Blood for Precise Cancer Treatments

Scientists have long focused on protecting organs near tumors during radiotherapy, but blood — a vital, circulating tissue — has largely been excluded from dose calculations. Each blood cell passing through... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The VENTANA HER2 (4B5) test is now CE-IVDR approved (Photo courtesy of Roche)

Companion Diagnostic Test Identifies HER2-Ultralow Breast Cancer and Biliary Tract Cancer Patients

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Europe, with more than 564,000 new cases and 145,000 deaths annually. Metastatic breast cancer is rising in younger populations and remains the leading cause... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Conceptual design of the CORAL capsule for microbial sampling in the small intestine (H. Mohammed et al., Device (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.device.2025.100904)

Coral-Inspired Capsule Samples Hidden Bacteria from Small Intestine

The gut microbiome has been linked to conditions ranging from immune disorders to mental health, yet conventional stool tests often fail to capture bacterial populations in the small intestine.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.