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Seroepidemiology of rickettsial infections in Morocco

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Abstract

The prevalence of antibodies reactive withRickettsia conorii, Rickettsia typhi, Coxiella burnetii andEhrlichia chaffeensis was investigated using indirect immunofluorescence (IFA) test on human sera obtained from 300 blood donors in Casablanca and 126 sera obtained from clinical laboratories in Fez. In sera from Casablanca, antibodies reactive at titers >=1: 32 were found againstR. conorii (7%), andR. typhi (1.7%), but not againstE. chaffeensis. In the sera from Fez, antibodies were also detected againstR. conorii (5.6%),R. typhi (4%), but not againstE. chaffeensis. By Western immunoblotting, seroprevalence forR. conorii was in Casablanca and 4.8% in Fez. Antibodies reactive at titers >=1:50 againstC. burnetii (phase II) were present in sera from Casablanca (1%) and Fez (18.3%).

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Abbreviations

IFA:

Immunofluorescence assay

MSF:

Mediterranean spotted fever

PBS:

Phosphate-buffered saline

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité des Rickettsies, Faculté de Médecine, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, F-13385, Marseille, France

    M. Meskini, L. Beati & D. Raoult

  2. Institut Pasteur du Maroc, Casablanca, Maroc

    A. Benslimane

Authors
  1. M. Meskini
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  2. L. Beati
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  3. A. Benslimane
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  4. D. Raoult
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Correspondence to D. Raoult.

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Meskini, M., Beati, L., Benslimane, A. et al. Seroepidemiology of rickettsial infections in Morocco. Eur J Epidemiol 11, 655–660 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01720299

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