Prevalence of antibodies to spotted fever group rickettsiae along the eastern coast of the Adriatic sea.
A seroepidemiological survey in coastal Croatia detected antibodies reactive with Rickettsia conorii in 4.2% of sera by immunofluorescence assay and in 5.0% of sera by enzyme immunoassay. Western immunoblotting demonstrated antibodies to the 120-kDa surface protein in all 20 positive serum samples examined and to rickettsial lipopolysaccharide in 3 of these serum samples. Humans in this area are clearly being exposed to spotted fever rickettsiae.
Radulovic
S
S
Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77555-0609.
Walker
D H
DH
Weiss
K
K
Dzelalija
B
B
Morovic
M
M
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001907:Boutonneuse Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D015995:Prevalence; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial