Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) EQA/PT Pilot Study

Trypanosoma cruzi is a parasite and the causative agent of Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis. T. cruzi is primarily transmitted by triatomine bugs. Parasite detection is difficult during both the acute and the latent phase of infection. Antibody detection plays a crucial role in laboratory diagnostics. Serological testing is also the method for blood donor screening. Compared to conventional techniques, molecular tools such as PCR offer improved sensitivity for detection of acute and early congenital disease and are considered the test of choice in these settings and can be useful for monitoring reactivation and parasitological response to treatment.

The pilot EQA scheme will assess the proficiency of laboratories in the correct detection of Trypanosoma cruzi causing Chagas disease.