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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 79(6), 2008, pp. 903-906
Copyright © 2008 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT


Rickettsia felis Outer Membrane Protein A: A Potential Tool for Diagnosis of Patients with Flea-Borne Spotted Fever

Jorge E. Zavala-Castro, Karla R. Dzul-Rosado, Juan José Arias León, David H. Walker*, AND Jorge E. Zavala-Velázquez
Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Interinstitucional de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, México; Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas

 

ABSTRACT

Rickettsia felis infection in humans has been detected worldwide, causing an illness that could be confused with other viral and bacterial infections such as dengue fever. Despite the high incidence of infection in humans, reservoirs, and vectors, the definitive diagnosis of R. felis infection currently requires polymerase chain reaction and sequencing because its antigens are closely related to other rickettsiae, making serologic diagnosis problematic. In this work, we report the immune reactivity of sera from four patients infected with R. felis with recombinant peptides representing regions of outer membrane protein A of R. felis.

Received January 30, 2008. Accepted for publication July 5, 2008.

Financial support: This research was supported by grants from the CONACyT (44064-M) to Jorge E. Zavala-Velázquez.

* Address correspondence to David H. Walker, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555-0609. E-mail: dwalker{at}utmb.edu

Authors’ addresses: Jorge E. Zavala-Castro, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Interinstitucional de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 498 x 59 y 59ª Centro, CP 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, México, Tel: 52-999-9233297 ext. 164, Fax: 52-999-9240554 ext. 272, E-mail: zcastro{at}uady.mx. Karla R. Dzul-Rosado, Q.F.B. Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Interinstitucio-nal de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 498 x 59 y 59ª Centro, CP 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, México, Tel: 52-999-9233297 ext. 164, Fax: 52-999-9240554 ext. 272, E-mail: rossanet80{at}hotmail.com. Juan José Arias León, Q.F.B. Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Interinstitucional de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida Yucatán, México, E-mail: juanjose.arias{at}uady.mx. David H. Walker, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, Tel: 409-772-3989, Fax: 409-772-2500, E-mail: dwalker{at}utmb.edu. Jorge E. Zavala-Velázquez, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad Interinstitucional de Investigación Clínica y Epidemiológica, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Av. Itzaes No. 498 x 59 y 59ª Centro, CP 97000, Mérida, Yucatán, México, Tel: 52-999-9233297 ext. 164, Fax: 52-999-9240554 ext. 272, E-mail: zavala{at}uady.mx.






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Copyright © 2008 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.