Editing Chagas disease (section)

===Diagnostic tests===
As of 2018, standard diagnostic tests for Chagas disease were limited in their ability to measure the effectiveness of antiparasitic treatment, as serological tests may remain positive for years after {{nowrap|''T. cruzi''}} is eliminated from the body, and PCR may give false-negative results when the parasite concentration in the blood is low. Several potential [[biomarker]]s of treatment response are under investigation, such as [[immunoassay]]s against specific {{nowrap|''T. cruzi''}} antigens, [[flow cytometry]] testing to detect antibodies against different life stages of {{nowrap|''T. cruzi''}}, and markers of physiological changes caused by the parasite, such as alterations in [[coagulation]] and [[lipid metabolism]].<ref name="Nunes2018"/>

Another research area is the use of biomarkers to predict the progression of chronic disease. Serum levels of [[Tumor necrosis factor|tumor necrosis factor alpha]], [[Ventricular natriuretic peptide|brain]] and [[atrial natriuretic peptide]], and [[angiotensin-converting enzyme 2]] have been studied as indicators of the prognosis of Chagas cardiomyopathy.<ref name="Balouz2017"/>

''T. cruzi'' shed acute-phase antigen (SAPA), which can be detected in blood using [[ELISA]] or Western blot,<ref name="Messenger2018"/> has been used as an indicator of early acute and congenital infection.<ref name="Balouz2017">{{cite journal |vauthors=Balouz V, Agüero F, Buscaglia CA |title=Chagas disease diagnostic applications: present knowledge and future steps |journal=Adv. Parasitol. |volume=97 |pages=1–45 |date=2017 |pmid=28325368 |pmc=5363286 |doi=10.1016/bs.apar.2016.10.001 |type= Review}}</ref> An assay for {{nowrap|''T. cruzi''}} antigens in urine has been developed to diagnose congenital disease.<ref name="Messenger2018"/>