FIG 3.

Ratios of (A) IFN-γ⁺ to IL-10⁺ T cells and (B) IFN-γ⁺ to Tregs (FoxP3⁺). PBMCs were cultured with T. cruzi antigens (4 μg/ml; Ag-Tc) for 72 h at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO₂. Brefeldin A was added for incubation during the last 6 h, and the cells were stained with appropriate fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies against surface and intracellular molecules. Among the patients with cardiac Chagas disease (n = 9), red dots represent patients who progressed from the indeterminate form to the cardiac form or worsened at 48 months after benznidazole treatment (n = 5). Horizontal lines represent the median. *, P < 0.05 (Mann-Whitney test).