Western blot as a seroepidemiologic tool for detecting foci of Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF).
We conducted a serosurvey on Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF), in a nonendemic area using western blot and microimmunofluorescence. Among 262 tested sera, 53 were positive by micro-immunofluorescence at a titer of 50. When 48 positive sera were western blot tested, 15 did not exhibited any reaction, 17 reacted against the non-specific lipopolysaccharide, and only 16 reacted against the specific protein antigens. Fourteen of the sera with a specific reaction were sampled in a village with a unique submediterranean climate. Western blot may be a more specific tool to determine the real seroprevalence of MSF.
Unité des Rickettsies, Faculté de Médecine, Marseille, France.
D
D
Raoult
J P
JP
Arzouni
M C
MC
Jambon
J
J
Beytout
O
O
Ramousse
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial