title: Seroepidemiology of rickettsial infections in Morocco.
abstract: The prevalence of antibodies reactive with Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia typhi, Coxiella burnetii and Ehrlichia chaffeensis was investigated using indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) test on human sera obtained from 300 blood donors in Casablanca and 126 sera obtained from clinical laboratories in Fez. In sera from Casablanca, antibodies reactive at titers > or = 1:32 were found against R. conorii (7%), and R. typhi (1.7%), but not against E. chaffeensis. In the sera from Fez, antibodies were also detected against R. conorii (5.6%), R. typhi (4%), but not against E. chaffeensis. By Western immunoblotting, seroprevalence for R. conorii was in Casablanca and 4.8% in Fez. Antibodies reactive at titers > or = 1:50 against C. burnetii (phase II) were present in sera from Casablanca (1%) and Fez (18.3%).
authors.affiliation: Unite des Rickettsies, CNRS EP-JO054, Faculte de Medecine, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meskini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Beati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benslimane
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001782:Blood Donors; D002648:Child; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology; D018469:Ehrlichia chaffeensis / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D012281:Rickettsia / Q000276:immunology; D012282:Rickettsia Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D012286:Rickettsia typhi / Q000276:immunology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial