Rickettsia (IFA)
Sample: Serum
Schedule: Daily (Immunofluorescence)
Units: Titer
Range: Positive IgG indicates past infection, positive IgM indicates possible current infection.
Remarks: Rickettsia (an obligate intracellular bacteria) may cause typhus, spotted fever and trench fever. Also it is the responsible of Q fever, and is acquired via inhalation or ingestion of contaminated milk or food. Virulence of Rickettsia infection is due to many factors including release of endotoxin, the production of immune complexes and hypersensitivity reactions.
