Infection 1998, 26; 170-172

INVESTIGATION OF RICKETTSIA CONORII ANTIBODIES IN THE ANTALYA REGION

Tümer VURAL¹, Çağrı ERGİN¹, Fahri SAYIN²

¹Akdeniz Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mikrobiyoloji ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, ²Antalya Ankara Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Entomoloji ve Protozooloji Anabilim Dalı, Ankara

Mediterrenean spotted fever, caused by Rickettsia conorii, is a tick born infection. Serum samples for screening R.conorii antibodies of profossionally exposed persons in the Antalya region, on the Mediterrenean coast of Turkey, were analyzed. R.conorii IgG antibodies were detected in 13 of 98 (13.3%) serum samples. Mediterrenean spotted fever antibodies were found to be positive in 9.4% of the men and 15.2% of the women (a total of 13 cases). Only three cases had a history of fever and rash.