Test Catalog

Test Id : CHAGI

Trypanosoma cruzi, Technical Interpretation

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Diagnosis of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection (Chagas disease)

Method Name
A short description of the method used to perform the test

Only orderable as part of a profile. For more information see CRUZI / Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas) Antibody Panel, Serum.

 

Technical Interpretation

NY State Available
Indicates the status of NY State approval and if the test is orderable for NY State clients.

Yes

Reporting Name
Lists a shorter or abbreviated version of the Published Name for a test

T. cruzi Interpretation

Aliases
Lists additional common names for a test, as an aid in searching

American trypanosomiasis

Chagas disease

Kissing bug

Reduviid

T. cruzi

Triatoma

Trypanosoma

Typanosomiasis

CRUZI

CHAGI

Specimen Type
Describes the specimen type validated for testing

Serum

Specimen Required
Defines the optimal specimen required to perform the test and the preferred volume to complete testing

Only orderable as part of a profile. For more information see CRUZI / Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas) Antibody Panel, Serum.

Specimen Minimum Volume
Defines the amount of sample necessary to provide a clinically relevant result as determined by the testing laboratory. The minimum volume is sufficient for one attempt at testing.

See Specimen Required

Specimen Stability Information
Provides a description of the temperatures required to transport a specimen to the performing laboratory, alternate acceptable temperatures are also included

Specimen Type Temperature Time Special Container
Serum Frozen 14 days

Useful For
Suggests clinical disorders or settings where the test may be helpful

Diagnosis of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection (Chagas disease)

Clinical Information
Discusses physiology, pathophysiology, and general clinical aspects, as they relate to a laboratory test

Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) is caused by the protozoan hemoflagellate Trypanosoma cruzi and can lead to acute and chronic clinical manifestations of disease. T cruzi is endemic in many areas of South and Central America. The parasite is usually transmitted by the bite of reduviid (or "kissing") bugs of the genus Triatoma but may also be transmitted by blood transfusion, organ transplantation, food ingestion, and vertically from mother to fetus. The acute febrile stage of disease is frequently undiagnosed and often resolves spontaneously. Diagnosis of acute T cruzi infection is typically confirmed by microscopic identification of trypomastigotes in fresh preparations of anticoagulated blood or buffy coat or by molecular detection. Parasitemia decreases and is undetectable within approximately 90 days of infection.

 

Chronic T cruzi infections are often asymptomatic but may progress to produce disabling and life-threatening cardiac (cardiomegaly, conduction defects) and gastrointestinal (megaesophagus and megacolon) disease. These damaged tissues contain the intracellular amastigote of T cruzi. The parasite is not seen in the blood during the chronic phase. Diagnosis of chronic T cruzi infection relies on serologic detection of antibodies to this organism. However, no single serologic assay is sensitive and specific enough to be relied upon alone. Therefore, per current expert guidelines and the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, serologic confirmation of chronic T cruzi infection requires positivity on 2 tests utilizing two different methodologies and/or two different T cruzi antigen preparations. When results are discordant, testing by a third assay is recommended to resolve the initial results or, alternatively, repeat testing on a new sample may be required.

Reference Values
Describes reference intervals and additional information for interpretation of test results. May include intervals based on age and sex when appropriate. Intervals are Mayo-derived, unless otherwise designated. If an interpretive report is provided, the reference value field will state this.

Only orderable as part of a profile. For more information see CRUZI / Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas) Antibody Panel, Serum.

 

An interpretive report will be provided.

Interpretation
Provides information to assist in interpretation of the test results

CHAGS result

CHAGL result

Interpretive comment

Positive

Positive

Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) detected by two separate methods, suggesting current or past infection. Results should be interpreted alongside clinical presentation and exposure history.

Positive

Negative

Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) detected by one of two assays. Additional testing to resolve discordant results through a public health laboratory or the CDC is recommended.

Positive

Invalid

Submission of a new sample is recommended to resolve discordant results.

Indeterminate

Positive

Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) detected by one of two assays. Additional testing to resolve discordant results through a public health laboratory or the CDC is recommended.

Indeterminate

Negative

Submission of a new sample is recommended to resolve discordant results.

Indeterminate

Invalid

Submission of a new sample is recommended to resolve discordant results.

Negative

Positive

Antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) detected by one of two assays. Additional testing to resolve discordant results through a public health laboratory or the CDC is recommended.

Negative

Negative

No antibodies to Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) detected. False negative results may occur in patients tested within 4 weeks of infection.

Negative

Invalid

Submission of a new sample is recommended to resolve discordant results.

Cautions
Discusses conditions that may cause diagnostic confusion, including improper specimen collection and handling, inappropriate test selection, and interfering substances

False-positive results may occur in patients infected with Leishmania or other Trypanosoma species, including Trypanosoma rangeli. Additionally, false-positive results with the T cruzi lateral flow assay have been detected in patients with hepatitis C, toxoplasmosis, or syphilis.

 

Diagnosis of chronic Chagas disease requires both clinical evaluation (including exposure history) and laboratory testing. Chagas disease should not be diagnosed based on a single serologic result alone.

 

A single negative result does not exclude the diagnosis of Chagas disease as antibodies to the pathogen may not yet be detectable. Sensitivity of the assay may be decreased in significantly immunosuppressed patients.

Clinical Reference
Recommendations for in-depth reading of a clinical nature

1. Bern C, Montgomery SP, Herwaldt BL, et al. Evaluation and treatment of Chagas disease in the United States: A Systematic Review. JAMA. 2007;298(18):2171-2181

2. Bern C, Messenger LA, Whitman JD, Maguire JH: Chagas disease in the United States: A public health approach. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2019;33(1):e00023-19. doi:10.1128/CMR.00023-19

3. Forsyth CJ, Manne-Goehler J, Bern C, et al. Recommendations for screening and diagnosis of Chagas disease in the United States. J Infect Dis. 2022;225(9):1601-1610. doi:10.1093/infdis/jiab513

Method Description
Describes how the test is performed and provides a method-specific reference

Automated interpretation of antibody test results for Trypanosoma cruzi.

PDF Report
Indicates whether the report includes an additional document with charts, images or other enriched information

No

Day(s) Performed
Outlines the days the test is performed. This field reflects the day that the sample must be in the testing laboratory to begin the testing process and includes any specimen preparation and processing time before the test is performed. Some tests are listed as continuously performed, which means that assays are performed multiple times during the day.

Monday

Report Available
The interval of time (receipt of sample at Mayo Clinic Laboratories to results available) taking into account standard setup days and weekends. The first day is the time that it typically takes for a result to be available. The last day is the time it might take, accounting for any necessary repeated testing.

Same day/1 to 8 days

Performing Laboratory Location
Indicates the location of the laboratory that performs the test

Rochester

Fees
Several factors determine the fee charged to perform a test. Contact your U.S. or International Regional Manager for information about establishing a fee schedule or to learn more about resources to optimize test selection.

  • Authorized users can sign in to Test Prices for detailed fee information.
  • Clients without access to Test Prices can contact Customer Service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Prospective clients should contact their account representative. For assistance, contact Customer Service.

Test Classification
Provides information regarding the medical device classification for laboratory test kits and reagents. Tests may be classified as cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and used per manufacturer instructions, or as products that do not undergo full FDA review and approval, and are then labeled as an Analyte Specific Reagent (ASR) product.

Not Applicable

LOINC® Information
Provides guidance in determining the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC) values for the order and results codes of this test. LOINC values are provided by the performing laboratory.

Test Id Test Order Name Order LOINC Value
CHAGI T. cruzi Interpretation No LOINC Needed
Result Id Test Result Name Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
CHAGI T. cruzi Interpretation 59464-8

Test Setup Resources

Setup Files
Test setup information contains test file definition details to support order and result interfacing between Mayo Clinic Laboratories and your Laboratory Information System.

Excel | Pdf

Sample Reports
Normal and Abnormal sample reports are provided as references for report appearance.

Normal Reports | Abnormal Reports

SI Sample Reports
International System (SI) of Unit reports are provided for a limited number of tests. These reports are intended for international account use and are only available through MayoLINK accounts that have been defined to receive them.

SI Normal Reports | SI Abnormal Reports