[Luminescent-serologic analysis of the antigenic interrelationship between R. canada and classic representatives of rickettsiae of the typhus group].

The results of studying the antigenic relationships of R. canada, a new Rickettsia species, and classical Rickettsia species of the typhus group are presented. The study was carried out by luminescent serological analysis with the use of corpuscular antigens and the live infectious agent cultures. R. canada and Rickettsiae of the typhus group were similar in their antigenic structures; this, however, could be revealed only in the study of the live cultures of the infectious agents. The study of corpuscular antigens revealed unilateral relationship: R. prowazeki antigen could be detected with homologous and heterologous sera, R. canada antigen with homologous serum only. In the CFT and the agglutination test corpuscular R. canada antigen reacted with homologous and heterologous sera. The study of the live cultures of the infectious agents revealed that different R. prowazeki and R. typhi strains vary in the degree of their similarity to R. canada.