Early diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Use of primary monocyte culture technique
R. D. DeShazo, J. R. Boyce, J. V. Osterman and E. H. Stephenson
Diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever was made as early as the fourth
day of febrile illness in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), with a monocyte
culture technique that is easily amenable to use in humans. Rickettsia
rickettsii were identified by direct immunofluorescent and Gimenez staining
of cultures of circulating monocytes from four experimentally infected
monkeys, even in the presence of a mild or inapparent disease in three.
Levels of rickettsemia were estimated by the plaque-assay technique, and
specific antibody titers were determined by complement fixation.
