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Preparation of a Serological Antigen and a Vaccine for Experimental Tsutsugamushi Disease (Scrub Typhus)^*,,

From the Naval Medical Research Institute, National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland

Abstract

1. A method is described for the preparation of suspensions of Rickettsia tsutsugamushi. It was found that homogenized infected yolk sacs diluted with casein hydrolysate and differentially centrifuged yield relatively clean suspensions of the organisms.

2. The suspension used as the antigen in complement-fixation tests reacts specifically with sera from animals convalescent from experimental tsutsugamushi disease.

3. Mice inoculated intraäbdominally with the suspension show a substantial immunity when challenged with the homologous strain. The vaccine withstands lyophilization without apparent loss of potency.

4. The heterogeneity of the serological pattern of various strains of R. tsutsugamushi was demonstrated by complement-fixation tests. Cross reactions with the various strains indicated the presence of common antigens in variable amounts depending upon the strain.

Footnotes

^* The opinions or conclusions contained in this report are those of the authors. They are not to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views or the endorsement of the Navy Department.

Project NM 005 002, Report No. 9.

¹ Lieutenant (jg), MCR, USNR.

² Virologist.

³ Chief Pharmacists Mate, USN.