Trypanosoma cruzi isoenzyme variability in Ecuador: first observation of zymodeme III genotypes in chronic chagasic patients

Garzón, E.A.; Barnabé, C.; Córdova, X.; Bowen, C.; Paredes, W.; Gómez, E.; Ouaissi, A.; Tibayrenc, M.; Guevara, A.G.

« Previous Next »Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Volume 96, Issue 4 , Pages 378-382, July 2002

Trypanosoma cruzi isoenzyme variability in Ecuador: first observation of zymodeme III genotypes in chronic chagasic patients

E.A. Garzón
- Instituto de Biología Molecular Tropical, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador
- IRD-UR008, Pathogénie des Trypanosomatides, Centre IRD, B.P. 5045, 34032 Montpellier Cedex 01, France
- Joint first authors.
C. Barnabé
- Unité de Recherche 062, Génétique des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche 9926, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre IRD, B.P. 5045, 34032 Montpellier Cedex 01, France
- Joint first authors.
X. Córdova
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigations, Vozandes Community Services, Hospital Vozandes, Villalengua 267 y 10 de Agosto, Casilla 17-17-691, Quito, Ecuador
C. Bowen
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigations, Vozandes Community Services, Hospital Vozandes, Villalengua 267 y 10 de Agosto, Casilla 17-17-691, Quito, Ecuador
W. Paredes
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigations, Vozandes Community Services, Hospital Vozandes, Villalengua 267 y 10 de Agosto, Casilla 17-17-691, Quito, Ecuador
E. Gómez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular Tropical, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador
A. Ouaissi
- IRD-UR008, Pathogénie des Trypanosomatides, Centre IRD, B.P. 5045, 34032 Montpellier Cedex 01, France
M. Tibayrenc
- Author for correspondence: phone +33 (0)4 67 41 62 07, fax +33 (0)4 67 41 62 99.
- Unité de Recherche 062, Génétique des Maladies Infectieuses, Unité Mixte de Recherche 9926, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre IRD, B.P. 5045, 34032 Montpellier Cedex 01, France
A.G. Guevara
- Instituto de Biología Molecular Tropical, Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigations, Vozandes Community Services, Hospital Vozandes, Villalengua 267 y 10 de Agosto, Casilla 17-17-691, Quito, Ecuador

Received 12 February 2001; received in revised form 15 January 2002; accepted 16 January 2002.

Abstract

We have analysed by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE) at 21 genetic loci 10 Trypanosoma cruzi stocks isolated from chronic chagasic patients and 3 stocks isolated from Triatoma dimidiata collected in human habitats from the coastal part of Ecuador (all stocks isolated in August–December 1998). Isoenzyme profiles were compared to those of 4 laboratory-cloned stocks representing the major phylogenetic subdivisions of T. cruzi. This parasite's genetic variability in Ecuador proved to be considerable, even in this limited sample, since all main isoenzyme genotypes were recorded. Four stocks from patients were identical at all loci to the reference stock MNc12 (‘major clonet #39’; T. cruzi II) isolated in Chile. The 3 stocks isolated from T. dimidiata were closely related to the formerly described zymodeme I (T. cruzi I). Finally, 3 stocks from chronic chagasic patients (one with an asymptomatic form, 2 with a cardiac-digestive form) were closely related to the formerly described zymodeme III (presently not classified in either T. cruzi I or T. cruzi II). This is the first observation of this category of T. cruzi genotypes in chronic chagasic patients. In the past it was recorded only in acute patients, wild mammals and wild triatomine bugs. The epidemiological implications of these results are discussed.

Keywords: Trypanosoma cruzi, Chagas disease, Triatoma dimidiata, isoenzyme profiles, zymodemes, Ecuador

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