Rickettsia prowazekii and real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Rickettsia prowazekii is the causative agent of epidemic typhus and a potential bioterrorism agent. Sensitive and specific rapid assays are needed to complement existing methods of detecting this organism. We developed a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay by using a species-specific probe targeting the gltA gene. This assay, which was rapid, specific for R. prowazekii only, and sensitive (cutoff detection of 1 to 5 copies per sample), detected and directly identified R. prowazekii in blood of 12 experimentally infected mice sampled at day 3 and 6 postinfection or in naturally or experimentally infected lice. Because our assay is highly standardized and easily adaptable, it could improve epidemic typhus surveillance in public health programs, especially for countries with underdiagnosed or unrecognized human cases.
Svraka
Sanela
S
Université de la Méditerranée, Marseilles, France.
Rolain
Jean-Marc
JM
Bechah
Yassina
Y
Gatabazi
John
J
Raoult
Didier
D
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008003:Phthiraptera / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012283:Rickettsia prowazekii / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013045:Species Specificity; D014709:Vero Cells
D001426:Bacterial Proteins