Comparative studies of drug susceptibility of five strains of Trypanosoma cruzi in vivo and in vitro.

A comparative study showed that 5 laboratory strains of Trypanosoma cruzi could be divided into a non-responsive group (Sonya clone and Colombiana) and a responsive group (Tulahuén, Y and Peru), based on long-term treatment of mouse infections with nifurtimox and benznidazole. In vitro sensitivity of epimastigotes and blood-stream trypomastigotes in macrophage cultures did not distinguish the strains, nor did the rate of development of nifurtimox resistance by epimastigote cultures. 7 novel anti-T. cruzi compounds also behaved similarly with respect to the 2 groups. A small decrease in sensitivity was observed in vitro by non-responsive strains of T. cruzi after re-isolation from treated mice. It is postulated that there could be an immunological component involved in successful treatment of T. cruzi infection.