Buenos Aires

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Browsing Buenos Aires by Author "Laucella, Susana A."
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    Circulating cytokine and chemokine profiles of trypanosoma cruzi-infected women during pregnancy and its association with congenital transmission
    (Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), 2021-9-15) Volta, Viviana J. ; Bustos, Patricia L. ; González, Carolina ; Natale, María Ailen ; Perrone, Alina E ; Milduberger, Natalia A. ; Laucella, Susana A. ; Bua, Jacqueline
    Background. Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, can be transmitted to the offspring of infected women, which constitutes an epidemiologically significant parasite transmission route in nonendemic areas. It is relevant to evaluate differ entially expressed factors in T. cruzi-infected pregnant women as potential markers of Chagas congenital transmission. Methods. Circulating levels of 12 cytokines and chemokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or cytometric bead array in T. cruzi-infected and uninfected pregnant women in their second trimester of pregnancy and control groups of T. cruzi-infected and uninfected nonpregnant women. Results. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected women showed a proinflammatory Th1-biased profile, with increased levels of tumor ne crosis factor (TNF)-a, interleukin (IL)-12p70, IL-15, and monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG). Uninfected pregnant women presented a biased response towards Th2/Th17/Treg profiles, with increased plasma levels of IL-5, IL-6, IL-1ß, IL-17A, and IL-10. Finally, we identified that high parasitemia together with low levels of TNF-a, IL-15, and IL-17, low TNF-a/IL-10 ratio, and high IL-12p70 levels are factors associated with an increased probability of Chagas congenital transmission. Conclusions. Trypanosoma cruzi-infected pregnant women who did not transmit the infection to their babies exhibited a dis tinct proinflammatory cytokine profile that might serve as a potential predictive marker of congenital transmission.
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    Trypanosoma cruzi infection at the maternal-fetal interface : implications of parasite load in the congenital transmission and challenges in the diagnosis of infected newborns
    (Frontiers, 2019-6-7) Bustos, Patricia L. ; Milduberger, Natalia A. ; Volta, Viviana J. ; Perrone, Alina E ; Laucella, Susana A. ; Bua, Jacqueline
    Trypanosoma cruzi is the protozoan unicellular parasite that causes Chagas disease. It can be transmitted from infected mothers to their babies via the connatal route, thus being able to perpetuate even in the absence of Triatomine insect vectors. Chagas disease was originally endemic in Central and South America, but migration of infected women of childbearing age has spread the T. cruzi congenital infection to non-endemic areas like North America, Europe, Japan, and Australia. Currently, 7 million people are affected by this infection worldwide. This review focuses on the relevance of the T. cruzi parasite levels in different aspects of the congenital T. cruzi infection such as the mother-to-child transmission rate, the maternal and fetal immune response, and its impact on the diagnosis of infected newborns. Improvements in detection of this parasite, with tools that can be easily adapted to be used in remote rural areas, will make the early diagnosis of infected children possible, allowing a prompt trypanocidal treatment and avoiding the current loss of opportunities for the diagnosis of 100% of T. cruzi congenitally infected infants