Open AccessProtein candidates for the serodiagnosis of rickettsioses
Author(s) -
Kowalczewska Malgorzata,
Vellaiswamy Manohari,
Nappez Claude,
Vincentelli Renaud,
Scola Bernard La,
Raoult Didier
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2011.00906.x
Subject(s) - rickettsia conorii , spotted fever , rickettsia typhi , rickettsia rickettsii , serology , rickettsiosis , biology , rickettsia , virology , rickettsia prowazekii , murine typhus , boutonneuse fever , tick borne disease , typhus , recombinant dna , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , antibody , tick , virus , gene , genetics
The laboratory diagnosis of rickettsioses is based on serology (reference method), cell culture and/or molecular tools. However, the main drawback of serology is its incapacity to provide identification of R ickettsiae at the level of species. The aim of this study was to propose the versatile protein markers able to discriminate the patients with murine typhus from those with M editerranean spotted fever. We have cloned and expressed 20 proteins of R ickettsia prowazekii and R ickettsia rickettsii, respectively, using the GATEWAY approach. These recombinant proteins were screened by ELISA with sera of infected patients with R ickettsia typhi and R ickettsia conorii , respectively. We identified several potential markers which allowed infection due to R . typhi to be discriminated from those due to R . conorii . However, the values of test‐operating parameters were not sufficient for its ‘routine’ clinical use. Our diagnostic test requires further optimization for be applied as a point‐of‐care strategy in the management of patients with suspected cases of rickettsiosis.