Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Microbiology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Microbiology
. 1983 Oct;18(4):938–946. doi: 10.1128/jcm.18.4.938-946.1983

Evaluation of latex-Rickettsia rickettsii test for Rocky Mountain spotted fever in 11 laboratories.

K E Hechemy, E E Michaelson, R L Anacker, M Zdeb, S J Sasowski, K T Kleeman, J M Joseph, J Patel, J Kudlac, L B Elliott, et al.
PMCID: PMC270935  PMID: 6415103

Abstract

A latex-Rickettsia rickettsii test for detection of antibodies to Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) was evaluated during the 1980 RMSF season in 11 laboratories in nine states where the disease is endemic. In a double-blind study, all sera submitted to each laboratory for RMSF testing were also examined by the latex-R. rickettsii test. A portion of each specimen was then sent to the New York State laboratory for testing by latex-R. rickettsii and by the reference microimmunofluorescence test. Results were exchanged at the end of the examination period. At the usual ratio of reactive to nonreactive sera encountered in a diagnostic laboratory on a day-to-day basis, the efficiency of the latex-R. rickettsii test relative to microimmunofluorescence was 96.79% for New York and 93.30% for the collaborating laboratories. Both the latex and microimmunofluorescence tests detected antibodies to RMSF within 7 to 9 days of onset. With the latex-R. rickettsii test--but not necessarily with microimmunofluorescence--a high titer (greater than or equal to 128) on a single serum was diagnostic of active RMSF. Changes in serum titer for patients with multiple sera were similar for both tests. The test detects rickettsial antibodies in patients with active infection, but in most cases it does not detect antibody in patients with past infection. Test reactivity could not be uniquely linked to a particular immunoglobulin class.

Full text

PDF
938

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Anacker R. L., Gerloff R. K., Thomas L. A., Mann R. E., Bickel W. D. Immunological properties of Rickettsia rickettsii purified by zonal centrifugation. Infect Immun. 1975 Jun;11(6):1203–1209. doi: 10.1128/iai.11.6.1203-1209.1975. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Anacker R. L., Philip R. N., Thomas L. A., Casper E. A. Indirect hemagglutination test for detection of antibody to Rickettsia rickettsii in sera from humans and common laboratory animals. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Nov;10(5):677–684. doi: 10.1128/jcm.10.5.677-684.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Anacker R. L., Philip R. N., Wilfert C. M., Kleeman K. T., Turner L., MacCormack J. N., Hechemy K. E. Detection of Rickettsia rickettsii antibodies in human sera by crossed immunoelectrophoresis. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Sep;18(3):569–577. doi: 10.1128/jcm.18.3.569-577.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Hattwick M. A., Retailliau H., O'Brien R. J., Slutzker M., Fontaine R. E., Hanson B. Fatal Rocky Mountain spotted fever. JAMA. 1978 Sep 29;240(14):1499–1503. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Hechemy K. E., Anacker R. L., Carlo N. L., Fox J. A., Gaafar H. A. Absorption of Rickettsia rickettsii antibodies by Rickettsia rickettsii antigens in four diagnostic tests. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Mar;17(3):445–449. doi: 10.1128/jcm.17.3.445-449.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Hechemy K. E., Anacker R. L. Coating of polymeric surfaces for immunoassay by a forced adsorption technique. J Immunoassay. 1983;4(2):147–157. doi: 10.1080/15321818308057007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hechemy K. E., Anacker R. L., Philip R. N., Kleeman K. T., MacCormack J. N., Sasowski S. J., Michaelson E. E. Detection of Rocky Mountain spotted fever antibodies by a latex agglutination test. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 Aug;12(2):144–150. doi: 10.1128/jcm.12.2.144-150.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hechemy K. E., Osterman J. V., Eisemann C. S., Elliott L. B., Sasowski S. J. Detection of typhus antibodies by latex agglutination. J Clin Microbiol. 1981 Jan;13(1):214–216. doi: 10.1128/jcm.13.1.214-216.1981. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hechemy K. E., Rubin B. B. Latex-Rickettsia rickettsii test reactivity in seropositive patients. J Clin Microbiol. 1983 Mar;17(3):489–492. doi: 10.1128/jcm.17.3.489-492.1983. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hechemy K. E., Stevens R. W., Sasowski S., Michaelson E. E., Casper E. A., Philip R. N. Discrepancies in Weil-Felix and microimmunofluorescence test results for Rocky Mountain spotted fever. J Clin Microbiol. 1979 Feb;9(2):292–293. doi: 10.1128/jcm.9.2.292-293.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Hébert G. A., Tzianabos T., Gamble W. C., Chappell W. A. Development and characterization of high-titered, group-specific fluorescent-antibody reagents for direct identification of rickettsiae in clinical specimens. J Clin Microbiol. 1980 May;11(5):503–507. doi: 10.1128/jcm.11.5.503-507.1980. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Murphy J. R., Fiset P., Snyder L. B., Wisseman C. L., Jr Antibody to Rickettsia mooseri erythrocyte-sensitizing substance. Infect Immun. 1979 Jun;24(3):962–964. doi: 10.1128/iai.24.3.962-964.1979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Osterman J. V., Eisemann C. S. Rickettsial indirect hemagglutination test: isolation of erythrocyte-sensitizing substance. J Clin Microbiol. 1978 Aug;8(2):189–196. doi: 10.1128/jcm.8.2.189-196.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Philip R. N., Casper E. A., Ormsbee R. A., Peacock M. G., Burgdorfer W. Microimmunofluorescence test for the serological study of rocky mountain spotted fever and typhus. J Clin Microbiol. 1976 Jan;3(1):51–61. doi: 10.1128/jcm.3.1.51-61.1976. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Ransohoff D. F., Feinstein A. R. Problems of spectrum and bias in evaluating the efficacy of diagnostic tests. N Engl J Med. 1978 Oct 26;299(17):926–930. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197810262991705. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Sexton D. J., MacCormack J. N. Letter: Rocky Mountain spotted fever: diagnosis. JAMA. 1976 Sep 6;236(10):1117–1117. doi: 10.1001/jama.236.10.1117c. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES