Immunological Relationships between the Rickettsiae of Australian and American "Q" Fever

Abstract

Agglutination and agglutinin absorption tests afford evidence of the identity of the rickettsiae which are the etiological agents of Australian "Q" fever, a disease affecting principally abattoir workers in that country, and a similar disease which occurred as the result of a probable laboratory infection in a member of the staff of the Natl. Institute of Health. Further evidence of the identity of the 2 organisms has been shown in tests with immune and convalescent sera and Berkefeld N filtrates and ultra-filtrates, though this test was not shown to be that of a true precipitin reaction.