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Joan Stephenson, PhD

JAMA. 2004;292:794.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

DNA from the Chagas disease parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, appears to be able to insert itself into the genome of its host, according to a team of Brazilian scientists (Cell. 2004;118:175-186). If confirmed, the discovery may help explain why some patients with Chagas disease develop a chronic illness, including damage to the heart and other tissues.

The researchers detected T cruzi mitochondrial DNA in the DNA of 13 patients with Chagas-related heart disease. They also demonstrated that T cruzi can insert DNA into the genome of rabbits and chickens, and that parasite DNA was present in the offspring of chronically infected rabbits and chickens hatched from T cruzi-inoculated eggs.

Scientists have debated whether the chronic effects of Chagas disease are caused by the parasite or an autoimmune reaction. The Brazilian scientists suggest that transfer of T cruzi DNA may cause mutations or expression of . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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