Validity of the Weil-Felix test in the diagnosis of acute rickettsial infections in Sri Lanka

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
S A M Kularatne, I B Gawarammana

Abstract

The diagnosis of rickettsial infections in developing countries is based on clinical features and a positive Weil-Felix test (WFT), as tests such as indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assays are not available for routine use. We estimated the sensitivity of the WFT in Sri Lanka using IFA testing as the gold standard. The WFT demonstrated low sensitivity (33%) in diagnosing acute rickettsial infections and low specificity, with a positive titre of 1:320 seen in 54% of healthy volunteers and 62% of non-rickettsial fever patients. Therefore, the use of the WFT should be discouraged in the diagnosis of acute rickettsial infections.

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Citations

May 22, 2013·Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine·João QueirósAngelina Meireles
May 29, 2012·Infectious Disease Clinics of North America·Bryan H SchmittBobbi S Pritt
May 27, 2015·Microbiology and Immunology·Munegowda KoraluruSudha Vidyasagar
Mar 27, 2018·PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases·Kartika SaraswatiStuart D Blacksell
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Jul 3, 2010·The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene·John J OpenshawJennifer H McQuiston
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Jun 25, 2020·Biology·Susanne SchjørringKaren A Krogfelt

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