First isolation of Rickettsia monacensis from a patient in South Korea

Microbiol Immunol. 2017 Jul;61(7):258-263. doi: 10.1111/1348-0421.12496.

Abstract

A Rickettsia sp. was isolated from the blood of a patient with an acute febrile illness using the shell vial technique; the isolate was named CN45Kr and was identified by molecular assay as Rickettsia monacensis, which was first recognized as a pathogen in Spain. Sequencing analysis showed that the gltA sequence of the isolate was identical to that of Rickettsia sp. IRS3. The ompA-5mp fragment sequence showed 100% identity to those of R. monacensis and Rickettsia sp. In56 and ompA-3pA In56 and 100% identity to that of Rickettsia sp. IRS3. The ompB sequence was found to have 99.9% similarity to that of R. monacensis IrR/Munich. This study confirms the pathogenicity of this agent and provides additional information about its geographic distribution.

Keywords: Rickettsia monacensis; South Korea; isolation; spotted fever group rickettsia.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Animals
  • DNA, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / isolation & purification
  • Genes, Bacterial / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Phylogeny
  • Republic of Korea
  • Rickettsia / classification
  • Rickettsia / genetics
  • Rickettsia / isolation & purification*
  • Rickettsia Infections / blood
  • Rickettsia Infections / diagnosis
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology*
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • DNA, Bacterial