Fifteen Years after the Definition of <em>Trypanosoma cruzi </em>DTUs: What Have We Learned?

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan causative of Chagas disease (ChD), exhibits striking genetic and phenotypic intraspecific diversity, along with ecoepidemiological complexity. Human-pathogen interactions lead to distinct clinical presentations of ChD. In 2009, an international consensus classified T. cruzi strains into six discrete typing units (DTUs), TcI to TcVI, later including TcBat, and proposed reproducible genotyping schemes for DTU identification. This article aims to review the impact of classifying T. cruzi strains into DTUs on our understanding of biological, ecoepidemio-logical, and pathogenic aspects of T. cruzi. We will explore the likely origin of DTUs and the intrinsic characteristics of each group of strains concerning genome organization, genomics, and suscepti-bility to drugs used in ChD treatment. We will also provide an overview of the association of DTUs with mammalian reservoirs, and summarize the geographic distribution, and the clinical implica-tions, of prevalent specific DTUs in ChD patients. Throughout this review, we will emphasize the crucial roles of both parasite and human genetics in defining ChD pathogenesis and chemotherapy outcome.

Arrhythmogenic Manifestations of Chagas Disease: Perspectives From the Bench to Bedside

“…The variability in the clinical manifestation of CCM can be partly attributed to the heterogeneity of T. cruzi strains, encompassing a broad spectrum of genotypes and phenotypes. 14,15 However, the precise nature of this relationship remains incompletely understood. The surface of T. cruzi is rich in pathogen-associated molecular patterns, 16 while host tissue injury releases damage-associated molecular patterns.…”