title: Rickettsia prowazekii and real-time polymerase chain reaction.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Université de la Méditerranée, Marseilles, France.
authors.forename: Sanela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Svraka
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Rolain
authors.forename: Yassina
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bechah
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gatabazi
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins