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- Title
FIRST MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF RICKETTSIA CONORII SUBSPECIES CONORII AS ETIOLOGIC AGENT OF MEDITERRANEAN SPOTTED FEVER IN SOUTHEASTERN ROMANIA.
- Authors
Cotar, Ani Ioana; Dinu, Sorin; Ceianu, Cornelia Svetlana; Bãdescu, Daniela
- Abstract
Introduction: Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii endemic in Mediterranean countries as well as in countries around the Black Sea. In Southeastern Romania MSF is endemic, with an overall incidence of 4.2 per 100,000 population, established for 2016 by the National Center for Disease Prevention and Control. Diagnosis of MSF is complex, based on clinical, epidemiological and laboratory data. Objectives: The aim of the study is to describe the usefulness of molecular tests in MSF diagnosis, as well as to provide the first molecular characterization of R. conorii subspecies conorii responsible for MSF in Romania. Methods: Molecular biology assays (nested PCR) were used for testing serum samples collected from 20 patients with MSF serologically confirmed. Results: Molecular diagnosis of MSF was performed by nested PCR assays on rompA and rompB genes, and was confirmed by sequencing of obtained amplicons. Molecular analysis based on a rompA gene fragment allowed placing the isolate detected in the sera collected from a Romanian patient with fatal MSF in the same cluster with other R. conorii subspecies conorii isolates. Conclusions: We present the first data on the use of molecular tools for the early diagnosis of MSF, as well on molecular identification of R. conorii subspecies responsible for MSF in five counties in Southeastern Romania.
- Subjects
BOUTONNEUSE fever; RICKETTSIA conorii; RICKETTSIAL disease diagnosis; MOLECULAR diagnosis; TICK-borne diseases
- Publication
Romanian Archives of Microbiology & Immunology, 2018, Vol 77, Issue 3, p175
- ISSN
1222-3891
- Publication type
Article