Rickettsia Antibodies IgG Test

Rickettsia rickettsii is a tick-borne illness (zoonosis) and the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF). You are at risk if you have been bitten by a tick, flea or mite or have been exposed to rodent faeces and subsequently become unwell. Antigen specific IgG titers allow rapid diagnosis of infection by organisms within either of the two major groups of Rickettsia. The spotted fever group includes R. rickettsia (Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever) and R. akari (Rickettsialpox). The typhus group includes R. typhi (endemic/ murine typhus) and R. prowazekii (epidemic typhus). The illness may vary greatly in severity and presentation from very mild illness through to life-threatening cases. If diagnosed early rickettsial diseases are readily treatable with antibiotics.

It is recommended that you should either wear a sleeve-less or a short-sleeved shirt to make it easier for you and the technician who will be drawing the blood. Wearing a shirt with full- sleeves that can easily be rolled-up is also fine. There is no need to disturb your diet routine before a rickettsia antibody test. You can eat and drink normally.

The Rickettsia immunofluorescent antibody test is used to detect antibodies to Rickettsia species in human serum. These species include R. rickettsii and R. typhi, known to cause Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Murine Typhus respectively. Titers rise during the first 2 to 4 weeks of illness and decline over 6 to 12 months. In patients with previously high titers, titers of <160 may indicate a resolving infection. If the IFA result is negative but the clinical symptoms are present, PCR testing is suggested.

A band is wrapped around the arm, 3-4 inches above the collection site (superficial vein that lies within the elbow pit) A 70% alcohol pad is used to clean the skin A needle is then kept in line with and injected into a vein that can be seen from the skin The blood is dragged out from the needle by a nozzle, saved in a vessel and sealed with your name The sample is then taken to a lab for examination.