This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ASM journals
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Dupont, H. T.
Right arrow Articles by Raoult, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Dupont, H. T.
Right arrow Articles by Raoult, D.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, 03 1994, 189-196, Vol 1, No. 2
Copyright © 1994 by the American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Q fever serology: cutoff determination for microimmunofluorescence

HT Dupont, X Thirion and D Raoult
Unite des Rickettsies, CNRS EP J 0054, Marseille, France.

Q fever, a worldwide zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, lacks clinical specificity and may present as acute or chronic disease. Because of this polymorphism, serological confirmation is necessary to assess the diagnosis. Although microimmunofluorescence is our reference technique, the cutoff titers that are currently used to make a diagnosis of active or chronic Q fever were determined years ago with limited series of patients and sera. We determined the titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA against both phases (I and II) of Coxiella burnetii. Rheumatoid factor was removed before testing IgM and IgA. We report here the various cutoff titers and the kinetics of antibody development from 2,218 first serum samples of patients, among whom 208 suffered from acute Q fever and 53 had chronic Q fever. In active Q fever, we have defined a low cutoff (phase II IgG titer < or = 100) below which the diagnosis cannot be made and would need further confirmation and confirmed a high cutoff (phase II IgG titer > or = 200 and phase II IgM titer > or = 50) over which the diagnosis can be made. For chronic Q fever diagnosis, phase I IgA titers are not contributive despite previous works claiming their usefulness; a phase I IgG titer of > or = 800 is highly predictive (98%) and sensitive (100%). We have also studied the possibility of rejecting or evoking the diagnosis of chronic Q fever by phase II IgG and IgA titers. This method is useful when phase I testing is not available, but the sensitivity remains low (57%).


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • BROUQUI, P., ROLAIN, J. M., FOUCAULT, C., RAOULT, D. (2005). Q FEVER AND PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA CO-INFECTION IN A PATIENT RETURNING FROM THE COMOROS ARCHIPELAGO. Am J Trop Med Hyg 73: 1028-1030 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Raoult, D., Casalta, J. P., Richet, H., Khan, M., Bernit, E., Rovery, C., Branger, S., Gouriet, F., Imbert, G., Bothello, E., Collart, F., Habib, G. (2005). Contribution of Systematic Serological Testing in Diagnosis of Infective Endocarditis. J. Clin. Microbiol. 43: 5238-5242 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rolain, J.-M., Raoult, D., Marmion, B.P., Harris, R.J., Storm, P., Ayres, J.G. (2005). Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in blood and sera during Q fever. QJM 98: 615-620 [Full Text]  
  • Rolain, J.-M., Boulos, A., Mallet, M.-N., Raoult, D. (2005). Correlation between Ratio of Serum Doxycycline Concentration to MIC and Rapid Decline of Antibody Levels during Treatment of Q Fever Endocarditis. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 49: 2673-2676 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • ZNAZEN, A., ROLAIN, J.-M., HAMMAMI, N., KAMMOUN, S., HAMMAMI, A., RAOULT, D. (2005). HIGH PREVALENCE OF BARTONELLA QUINTANA ENDOCARDITIS IN SFAX, TUNISIA. Am J Trop Med Hyg 72: 503-507 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Stein, A., Louveau, C., Lepidi, H., Ricci, F., Baylac, P., Davoust, B., Raoult, D. (2005). Q Fever Pneumonia: Virulence of Coxiella burnetii Pathovars in a Murine Model of Aerosol Infection. Infect. Immun. 73: 2469-2477 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fenollar, F., Fournier, P. E., Raoult, D. (2004). Molecular Detection of Coxiella burnetii in the Sera of Patients with Q Fever Endocarditis or Vascular Infection. J. Clin. Microbiol. 42: 4919-4924 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bautista-Hernandez, V., Gutierrez, F., Ray, V. G., Arribas, J. M., Garcia-Puente, J., Casinello, N., Arcas, R. (2004). Constrictive pericarditis due to Coxiella burnetii. Ann. Thorac. Surg. 78: 326-328 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • MALTEZOU, H. C., CONSTANTOPOULOU, I., KALLERGI, C., VLAHOU, V., GEORGAKOPOULOS, D., KAFETZIS, D. A., RAOULT, D. (2004). Q FEVER IN CHILDREN IN GREECE. Am J Trop Med Hyg 70: 540-544 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Honstettre, A., Ghigo, E., Moynault, A., Capo, C., Toman, R., Akira, S., Takeuchi, O., Lepidi, H., Raoult, D., Mege, J.-L. (2004). Lipopolysaccharide from Coxiella burnetii Is Involved in Bacterial Phagocytosis, Filamentous Actin Reorganization, and Inflammatory Responses through Toll-Like Receptor 4. J. Immunol. 172: 3695-3703 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Rolain, J. M., Lecam, C., Raoult, D. (2003). Simplified Serological Diagnosis of Endocarditis Due to Coxiella burnetii and Bartonella. CVI 10: 1147-1148 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fournier, P.-E., Raoult, D. (2003). Comparison of PCR and Serology Assays for Early Diagnosis of Acute Q Fever. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 5094-5098 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bernit, E., Pouget, J., Janbon, F., Dutronc, H., Martinez, P., Brouqui, P., Raoult, D. (2002). Neurological Involvement in Acute Q Fever: A Report of 29 Cases and Review of the Literature. Arch Intern Med 162: 693-700 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Bruneval, P, Choucair, J, Paraf, F, Casalta, J-P, Raoult, D, Scherchen, F, Mainardi, J-L (2001). Detection of fastidious bacteria in cardiac valves in cases of blood culture negative endocarditis. J. Clin. Pathol. 54: 238-240 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Brouqui, P., Raoult, D. (2001). Endocarditis Due to Rare and Fastidious Bacteria. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 14: 177-207 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Maurin, M., Raoult, D. (1999). Q Fever. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 12: 518-553 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fenollar, F., Raoult, D. (1999). Diagnosis of Rickettsial Diseases Using Samples Dried on Blotting Paper. CVI 6: 483-488 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fournier, P.-E., Raoult, D. (1999). Predominant Immunoglobulin A Response to Phase II Antigen of Coxiella burnetii in Acute Q Fever. CVI 6: 173-177 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Raoult, D., Houpikian, P., Dupont, H. T., Riss, J. M., Arditi-Djiane, J., Brouqui, P. (1999). Treatment of Q Fever Endocarditis: Comparison of 2 Regimens Containing Doxycycline and Ofloxacin or Hydroxychloroquine. Arch Intern Med 159: 167-173 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Capo, C., Iorgulescu, I., Mutillod, M., Mege, J.-L., Raoult, D. (1998). Increases in the Levels of Coxiella burnetii-Specific Immunoglobulin G1 and G3 Antibodies in Acute Q Fever and Chronic Q Fever. CVI 5: 814-816 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Fournier, P.-E., Marrie, T. J., Raoult, D. (1998). Diagnosis of Q Fever. J. Clin. Microbiol. 36: 1823-1834 [Full Text]  
  • Lupoglazoff, J M, Brouqui, P, Magnier, S, Hvass, U, Casasoprana, A (1997). Q fever tricuspid valve endocarditis. Arch. Dis. Child. 77: 448-449 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2010 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»