# Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi in a Reactive Blood Bank Sample in Sonora, Mexico

## TL;DR

This paper reports the first detection of a specific strain of Trypanosoma cruzi in a blood donor from northern Mexico, where the disease is rare.

## Contribution

The study provides the first molecular characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi in a blood donor from the northwestern region of Mexico.

## Key findings

- Seroreactivity was confirmed using in-house ELISAs with multiple antigens.
- Molecular analysis confirmed the presence of the TcI DTU of Trypanosoma cruzi in the blood donor.
- Next Generation Sequencing improved the accuracy of genetic characterization.

## Abstract

Chagas disease is a neglected disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, a public health problem in both endemic and non-endemic countries. In Mexico, the southern region is considered endemic, and cases are frequently reported; however, in the northwestern region, only a few cases are confirmed annually. This study describes, for the first time, the Discrete Typing Unit (DTU) of Trypanosoma cruzi in a volunteer blood donor rejected for being reactive in the northwestern region of Mexico. Seroreactivity was confirmed using “in-house” ELISAs which employed three different antigens: total extract from Trypanosoma cruzi isolated from a vector (Triatoma rubida) from Sonora (strain T1), strain H1 and CL-Brener. The molecular characterization of Trypanosoma cruzi was conducted by amplifying satellite DNA by qPCR and posterior sequencing of the mini-exon gene, using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to enhance the accuracy of genetic characterization. The results show that the reactive status of this blood donor was confirmed using our in-house ELISAs, and the presence of Trypanosoma cruzi by detecting TcI DTU confirmed the infection status.