Reação da fixação do complemento na tripanosomose americana experimental da cobaia, feita com antígeno de cultura de Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 (Tipo Kelser)

Abstract

The author preparecl an antigen for complement fixation test, in accordance with the Kelser technic, using for this purpose 3 strains of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909. With the sera o f guinea pigs, previously inoculated with 4 strai.ns of T. cruzi, 73 tests were made and also normal guinea pig sera were used. Conclusions: a) the test was positive in guinea pigs with experimental infection and negative in normal animais; b) no preference was noted for homologous antigen, which could be measured by differences in test intensity; c) the different strains used in the test did not show the same degree of antigenic power; it is therefore important to employ only strains having high antigenic power; d) antibodies appear early and may persist until af~er the disappearance of trypanbsomes in the circulating blood.