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Serologic Studies in Typhus-Vaccinated Individuals

III. Weil-Felix and Complement-Fixation Findings in Epidemic Typhus Fever Occurring in the Vaccinated

From the Cairo Unit of the United States of America Typhus Commission

Abstract

1. Weil-Felix tests and complement-fixation tests with purified rickettsial antigens were performed on sera from 31 cases of typhus fever in vaccinated individuals.

2. The results indicate that these tests may be safely used to establish a laboratory diagnosis of typhus fever, providing the possible effects of vaccination per se are evaluated as well.

3. A higher degree of cross-fixation was encountered in tests on the sera from these vaccinated patients than has been found in non-vaccinated cases of epidemic or murine typhus fever.

4. Because of this cross-fixation, it does not appear safe at this time to attempt the differentiation between epidemic and murine typhus in vaccinated individuals on the basis of the complement-fixation test alone.

5. An hypothesis has been advanced as a possible explanation for the increased amount of cross-fixation obtained in tests on sera from vaccinated individuals.

6. Evidence is presented which indicates that infection with typhus can occur in vaccinated individuals despite the presence of demostrable complement-fixing antibodies in their serum.

Footnotes

¹ Maj., MC, AUS.

² Maj., MC, AUS.

³ Lt. Comdr., MC, USNR.

⁴ Lt. Col., MC, AUS.

⁵ Lt. Col., MC, AUS.