TABLE I. Main methods for diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infections according to the phase of the disease and transmission routes.

Epidemiological settings

Parasitological methods

Molecular methods

Serological methods

Direct microscopic observation

Indirect observation

qPCR

LAMP

ELISA

IHA

IIF

TESA-blot

CMIA

Rapid diagnostic tests

Haemoculture

Xenodiagnosis

Whole lysate a

Recombinant proteins/ peptides

Vector transmission

Strout/ wet smear

Congenital transmission

MH b / Micro Strout

Oral transmission

Strout/ wet smear

Transfusion transmission

Strout/ wet smear

Seronegative receptor of organ from seropositive donor

Strout

Reactivation by immunosuppresion

Strout

Blood bank

a: cross reaction with Trypanosoma rangeli and Leishmania spp.; b: microhematocrite. Darker grey boxes: acute Chagas disease (CD); lighter grey boxes: chronic CD. CMIA: chemiluminescent magnetic immunoassays; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; IHA: indirect haemagglutination assay; IIF: indirect immunofluorescence; LAMP: loop mediated isothermal amplification; qPCR: quantitative polymerase chain reaction; TESA-blot: trypomastigote excreted-secreted antigens-blot.