Evaluación del desempeño de tres pares de cebadores para la detección de Trypanosoma vivax mediante PCR en búfalos de la Granja Experimental Villa Marina.

Abstract

Trypanosomiasis caused by Trypanosoma vivax represents a diagnostic challenge in ruminants due to its chronic course and low parasitemia, which limits the effectiveness of conventional parasitological methods. This study evaluated the molecular detection of T. vivax using three primer pairs (TviSL15/25, ILO1264/1265, and TviCatL/DTO155), complementing the analyses with bioinformatic tests and the physiological and hematological characterization of the animals. Alterations such as decreased hematocrit and reduced body condition were identified, indicators compatible with hemotropic processes. Molecular results showed better performance of ILO1264/1265 and TviSL15/25, while TviCatL/DTO155 presented nonspecific amplifications. Taken together, the findings highlight the importance of integrating clinical, hematological, and molecular parameters for diagnosis in buffaloes and underscore the need to select highly specific markers in regions where multiple Trypanosoma species coexist.