Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology, January 2000, p. 1-5, Vol. 7, No. 1
Departamento de
Patología,1 Departamento de
Microbiología,3 and Instituto de
Medicina Tropical Alexander VonHumboldt,4
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Asociación
Benéfica PRISMA,2 and United
States Naval Medical Research Institute Detachment
(NAMRID),6 Lima Peru; Department of
Internal Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance,
California5; and Department of
International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene
and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland7
Received 26 May 1999/Returned for modification 25 June
1999/Accepted 14 September 1999
Two simple Bartonella bacilliformis immunoblot
preparation methods were developed. Antigen was prepared by two
different methods: sonication of whole organisms or glycine extraction.
Both methods were then tested for sensitivity and specificity.
Well-defined control sera were utilized in the development of these
diagnostic immunoblots, and possible cross-reactions were thoroughly
examined. Sera investigated for cross-reaction with these diagnostic
antigens were drawn from patients with brucellosis, chlamydiosis, Q
fever, and cat scratch disease, all of whom were from regions where
bartonellosis is not endemic. While both immunoblots yielded reasonable
sensitivity and high specificity, we recommend the use of the sonicated
immunoblot, which has a higher sensitivity when used to detect acute
disease and produces fewer cross-reactions. The sonicated immunoblot
reported here is 94% sensitive to chronic bartonellosis and 70%
sensitive to acute bartonellosis. In a healthy group, it is 100%
specific. This immunoblot preparation requires a simple sonication
protocol for the harvesting of B. bacilliformis antigens
and is well suited for use in regions of endemicity.
1071-412X/0/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Sonicated Diagnostic Immunoblot for
Bartonellosis
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
International Health, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St., Room 3501/3503, Baltimore, MD 21205. Phone: (410) 614-3959. Fax: (410) 614-6060. E-mail:
rgilman{at}jhpsh.edu.
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