Molecular characterization of Orientia tsutsugamushi serotypes causing scrub typhus outbreak in southern region of Andhra Pradesh, India.

ABSTRACT:

Background & objectives

Scrub typhus is a vector-borne zoonotic infection caused by Orientiatsutsugamushi. Local epidemiology of the circulating serotypes of scrub typhus is not available from most parts of India. We conducted this study for the diagnosis of scrub typhus using IgM ELISA and to detect O. tsutsugamushi serotypes circulating in southern Andhra Pradesh, India.

Methods

Samples were collected from patients clinically suspected to have scrub typhus and were subjected to IgM ELISA to measure IgM antibodies against O. tsutsugamushi. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed targeting strain-specific regions in ELISA-positive samples.

Results

Of a total of 663 samples, 258 (38.91%) were found to be positive by IgM ELISA. Serotypes could be detected i

SUBMITTER: Usha K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5345308 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature