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Q Fever Antibody Response in Experimentally Infected Wild Rodents and Laboratory Animals¹

From the Institute of Environmental Biological Research, Ecology and Epizoology Research, University of Utah and the Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah

Abstract

Capillary tube agglutination antibody and Phase I and Phase II complement fixation antibody to Coxiella burnetii was studied in five species of experimentally infected wild rodents, and in guinea pigs and white mice. Phase II CF antibody was produced 1 to 2 weeks following i.p. infection of the California AD strain of C. burnetii in all species of animal tested. Peak titers were reached 3 to 5 weeks after infection. Phase I CF and CT agglutination antibody was first demonstrated at 3 to 5 weeks, increasing to peak titers at periods of time varying from 6 to 36 weeks after infection, depending upon the animal species. Phase II CF titers were higher in all animals than Phase I CF or CT agglutinating antibody titers. Persistence of titers was followed for 36 or 52 weeks, depending upon animal type. Ord kangaroo rats produced little demonstrable Phase I CF or CT agglutination antibody.

All species of wild rodents injected with formalin-inactivated AD strain of C. burnetii produced low titers of Phase II CF antibody in studies through 16 weeks after inoculation. Phase I CF antibody was barely demonstrable in desert wood rats, Ord kangaroo rats, and pinyon mice. No detectable CT agglutination antibody was formed.

No antibody could be demonstrated in five species of wild rodents 28 days after injection with normal egg yolk sac material.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported in part by Dugway Proving Ground contract No. DA-42-007-403-CML-427, with the University of Utah.

This is Ecology and Epizoology contribution No. 65.