ANTIGENIC ANALYSIS BY DIRECT IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE OF 114 ISOLATES OF RICKETTSIA TSUTSUGAMUSHI RECOVERED FROM FEBRILE PATIENTS IN RURAL MALAYSIA

Abstract
R. tsutsugamushi isolates (114) recovered from febrile patients in central peninsular Malaysia were antigenically analyzed by direct immunofluorescence using 8 prototype strains and 29 antigenic types were detected. The TA763, TA716, Karp and TA686 strains were most common and occurred singly or in combination with each other or other strains in 86% of the isolates.