Limits of rickettsial infectivity

Seven species of pathogenic rickettsiae were compared in five assay systems for group, species, strain, and phase differences in infectivity. The species examined include Rickettsia prowazekii (Breinl and Cairo 3 strains), R. typhi, R. canada, R. rickettsii (Sheila Smith and R strains), R. conorii, R. sibirica, and Coxiella burnetii in phases I and II. Pathogenicity was charcterized in terms of fever in guinea pigs. All comparisons of infectivity and pathogenicity were described in terms of numbers of rickettsiae in the inocula, as determined by direct rickettsial count. The data characterize the various species and strains of rickettsiae in quantitative terms, which are also estimates of the sensitivity of the assay systems used. Phase I C. burnetii was found to be the most, and R. canada the least, infective of the species examined. In general the primary chicken embryo cell culture system proved to be the most, and that of the mouse the least, sensitive assay system.