Research Projects

Pondicherry and neighbouring Tamil Nadu has become ST endemic areas. Hence for Scrub typhus diagnosis, reliance should be placed on IgM ELISA rather than WF (OXK) and single OXK titres up to 1:160 should not be considered as significant. As reported earlier (2013), rapid ST ICT kits are specific and far superior to WF. We have also proved the unreliability of three commercial ELISA kits for C. burnetii Phase II IgM. Hence use of these kits should be discouraged and to be replaced by IFA and to be preferably confirmed by PCR. Regarding Q fever, physicians were initially unaware of this clinical entity, but now are sensitized to look for common symptoms of acute Q fever as well as the chronic forms of Q fever. Coxiellosis in domestic livestock has been found to be low.