Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41124404›Full record

ArticleMemorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz2025

Diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Mexican populations: current conventional serology lacks adequate sensitivity and specificity.

Janine M Ramsey, Keynes de la Cruz-Felix, Ezequiel Tun-Ku, Alejandro G Schijman, Sleidher Gutiérrez, Margarita Virgen-Cuevas, Monica Reyes-Romero, Kenia Escobedo-López, Gilberto Sánchez-González, Angélica Pech-May

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Research square · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Janine M RamseyCentro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México.
Keynes de la Cruz-FelixCentro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México.
Ezequiel Tun-KuCentro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México.
Alejandro G SchijmanInstituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular Dr Héctor Torres, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina.
Sleidher GutiérrezCentro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México.
Margarita Virgen-CuevasInstituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México City, México.
Monica Reyes-RomeroInstituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México City, México.
Kenia Escobedo-LópezInstituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México City, México.
Gilberto Sánchez-GonzálezCentro de Investigaciones en Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Angélica Pech-MayCentro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4942-7788

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe performance of serological tests for Trypanosoma cruzi diagnosis in Mexico has not included discordant control sera nor has it evaluated the role of immune response specificities, patient infection history or clinical status.

objectivesThe performance of commercial serological and molecular diagnostic tests and diagnostic algorithms was analysed in Mixtecan and Zapotecan ethnic populations having recent and long-term infection history.

methodsAn amplified global gold standard for T. cruzi infection included serological (≥ 2 conventional tests positive) and molecular (sequence identity of any of five genes using end point polymerase chain reaction (epPCR) or any positive using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) diagnostic test results.

findingsOnly 81% of previously diagnosed untreated infections were reconfirmed using serology, while an additional 14% only using PCR. Serological diagnosis sensitivity (≥ 2 tests positive) in the primary diagnosis cohort was 8%, while specificity was 16%. Diagnosis sensitivity was similar using epPCR and qPCR only in primary diagnoses and all identified using the satellite (SAT) gene. The 18S ribosomal DNA identified T. cruzi and T. dionisii co-infections from Pacific coast sites. MAIN

conclusionsThe current study provides evidence for inadequate diagnostic performance of conventional serological tests and the need to develop appropriate antigenic tools and use molecular testing of seronegatives to ascertain absence of infection.

Indexed as

Antibodies, ProtozoanChagas DiseaseTrypanosoma cruziAdultDNA, ProtozoanFemaleHumansMaleMexicoMiddle AgedPolymerase Chain ReactionReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSensitivity and SpecificitySerologic TestsYoung AdultAntibodies, ProtozoanDNA, Protozoan

Identifiers

PMID41124404
PMCPMC12543361

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.