Seroprevalence of antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsia among dogs and humans in Okinawa, Japan

Authors
Satoh, H Tsuneki, A Inokuma, H Kumazawa, N Jahana, Y Kiyuuna, T Okabayashi, T Muramatsu, Y Ueno, H Morita, C
Citation
H. Satoh et al., Seroprevalence of antibodies against spotted fever group rickettsia among dogs and humans in Okinawa, Japan, MICROB IMMU, 45(1), 2001, pp. 85-87
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Microbiology
Journal title
MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
ISSN journal
03855600 → ACNP
Volume
45
Issue
1
Year of publication
2001
Pages
85 - 87
Database
ISI
SICI code
0385-5600(2001)45:1<85:SOAASF>2.0.ZU;2-X
Abstract
We evaluated serum antibodies against Rickettsia japonica in 517 dogs (430 stray dogs and 87 pet dogs) and 164 humans in Okinawa, Japan, by indirect i mmunofluorescence assay. The seropositive rate in stray dogs was significan tly higher than that in pet dogs (30.7 versus 4.6%, P < 0.01), This high pr evalence rate is attributed to the understandably frequent environmental ex posure of stray dogs to tick infestation. Human samples obtained from Okina wa and Sapporo also showed a significant difference in seropositive antibod y percentages (45.1 and 12.0%, respectively, P < 0.01), This result suggest s that there has been preexposure to spotted fever group rickettsia in huma ns in Okinawa.