New Diagnostic Kit for Chagas' Disease

An award-winning new kit for diagnosing Chagas' disease has been developed by a Bolivian biologist, based on local strains of the parasite, making it more effective for Bolivia. It suggests a course that could be followed by researchers in other countries with a high incidence of the disease.

Chagas' disease affects around 24 million people in the world, including about 15% of the Bolivian population. Existing treatments for the disease are effective only in the first phase, when symptoms are not yet present. This makes testing critical for detection and treatment. The new diagnostic kit was developed by Eric Deharo, a biologist and pharmacologist at the French Institute of Research and Development (IRD; Paris, France), while working in Bolivia with Fernando Vargas, a Bolivian technician. Until now, Bolivia had to import tests for the disease. From now on, the tests will be made locally through a partnership between the IRD and the Faculty of pharmacy of the University Mayor de San Andres (La Paz, Bolivia).

Dr. Deharo recently received a special mention from the jury of the Altran Foundation (Paris, France; www.fondation-altran.org) for his diagnostic kit, as part of the 2002 awards for Technologic Innovation for Developing Countries. The developers say the kits will be produced and marketed at half the price of imported tests.




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