Isolation of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi Antigenically Different from Kato, Karp, and Gilliam Strains from Patients

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Abstract
R. tsutsugamushi strains from 3 recent patients of Tsutsugamushi disease in Niigata Prefecture [Japan] were isolated primarily in mice and then in L cell cultures. By this procedure, low virulent strains to mice, as well as high virulent ones, could be isolated and cultivated serially in L cell cultures, suggesting the usefulness of L cells for isolation of this species of rickettsia. Each newly isolated strain was identified as a member of R. tsutsugamushi from the results of cross immunological tests and morphological observation. It was recognized that one of these rickettsiae showed immumnological properties distinguishable from the prototype strains of Kato, Karp and Gilliam by the cross complement fixation test, and also had low virulence in mice.