A Complement-Fixation Test for Chagas' Disease Employing an Artificial Culture Antigen

Abstract
Summary and Conclusions A complement-fixation test for Chagas' disease, in which an artificial culture antigen is used, is described. The antigen used in this test can be readily made from cultures of T. cruzi grown on a medium prepared essentially according to the method of Bonacci. Such antigen represents a distinct improvement over older types prepared from tissues of artificially infected animals. The ease with which the antigen described herein can be prepared should make the complement-fixation test a more usable and valuable agent in the diagnosis of Chagas' disease and the identification of carriers. No cross reactions occur with Wassermann-positive sera. Sufficient work has not as yet been done to determine whether or not cross reaction will occur with sera from other types of trypanosomiasis.

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