Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
The first use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the diagnosis of an acute rickettsial infection is described. A primer pair derived from the 17-kDa antigen sequence of Rickettsia rickettsii gave specific amplification of a 434-base pair DNA fragment from the genome of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and endemic and epidemic typhus. The assay could detect as few as 30 rickettsiae. Detection of PCR-amplified DNA with a nonradioactive DNA probe confirmed an acute infection with Rickettsia prowazekii.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Carl et al. (1990) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: