Open AccessProtein candidates for Q fever serodiagnosis
Author(s) -
Kowalczewska Malgorzata,
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.2011.00912.x
Subject(s) - coxiella burnetii , q fever , serology , endocarditis , biology , rickettsiales , rickettsiosis , immunology , virology , fever of unknown origin , spotted fever , recombinant dna , antibody , rickettsia , medicine , bacteria , virus , biochemistry , genetics , gene
The discriminatory diagnosis of Q fever remains difficult because of the unspecific clinical presentations of the disease. Additionally, the diagnosis is often delayed because serodiagnosis is not sensitive enough in the early stages of the disease when the immune response is not yet efficient. Similarly, the diagnosis of Q fever endocarditis can only be performed in approximately 35%, mainly via serology, which was a criterion postulated by D uke. Owing to the discriminatory diagnosis of Q fever and the high number of tests requested, we focused on expressing several proteins for ELISA studies with C oxiella burnetii ‐infected sera. Previously, we selected a list of 31 candidates [ S ekeyova et al . (2009) E ur J C lin M icrobiol I nfect D is 28 : 287–295], of which we have successfully cloned and expressed 21. Finally, 15 recombinant proteins were prescreened with the sera of patients with acute Q fever and Q fever endocarditis, respectively. Sera from a control group were also screened. The nine most immunoreactive proteins from the first assay were tested with the sera from a larger group of patients. Our study identified CBU _0092 as the best marker of acute Q fever but failed to isolate a highly specific and sensitive marker of Q fever endocarditis.