Published in

Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Ministério da Saúde, Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz., 3(110), p. 422-432

DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760140435

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Biomarkers of therapeutic responses in chronic Chagas disease: state of the art and future perspectives

Journal article published in 2015 by Thomas,Maria-Carmen, Igor Correia de Almeida, Maria-Jesus Pinazo ORCID, Pinazo,Maria-Jesus, Maria-Carmen Thomas, Juan Bustamante ORCID, Bustamante,Juan, Igor Correia de Almeida, Almeida,Igor Correia De, Manuel-Carlos Lopez, Lopez,Manuel-Carlos, Joaquim Gascon, Gascon,Joaquim
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Question mark in circle
Preprint: policy unknown
Upload
Question mark in circle
Postprint: policy unknown
Upload
Question mark in circle
Published version: policy unknown
Upload
Policy details
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

The definition of a biomarker provided by the World Health Organization is any substance, structure, or process that can be measured in the body, or its products and influence, or predict the incidence or outcome of disease. Currently, the lack of prognosis and progression markers for chronic Chagas disease has posed limitations for testing new drugs to treat this neglected disease. Several molecules and techniques to detect biomarkers in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected patients have been proposed to assess whether specific treatment with benznidazole or nifurtimox is effective. Isolated proteins or protein groups from different T. cruzi stages and parasite-derived glycoproteins and synthetic neoglycoconjugates have been demonstrated to be useful for this purpose, as have nucleic acid amplification techniques. The amplification of T. cruzi DNA using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method is the leading test for assessing responses to treatment in a short period of time. Biochemical biomarkers have been tested early after specific treatment. Cytokines and surface markers represent promising molecules for the characterisation of host cellular responses, but need to be further assessed.