[Buerger's disease: etiologic role of the rickettsiae?]

Specific seroagglutination tests were performed in 70 patients with Buerger's disease to detect possible antibodies to rickettsia, the test being repeated in 8 cases after activation by doxycycline administration over 10 days. In 21 patients a Weil-Felix test was also carried out. Tests were assessed as positive in 44 cases (62.8%): 18 times for Rickettsia Q. 18, 14 times for Rickettsia Mooseri, 13 times for Rickettsia Burnetii, 5 times for Rickettsia Conorii and 3 times for Rickettsia Prowazekii. After activation by doxycycline the antibody titre was increased 5 times, unchanged 3 times and reduced once. The Weil-Felix gave positive results in 3 of the 21 cases (14.28%), the reaction being positive to Rickettsia Prowazekii. These findings provide supplementary arguments for a possible pathogenic role of rickettsial infection in Buerger's disease.