[Definitive ability of Stamp-staining, antigen-ELISA, PCR and cell culture for the detection of Coxiella burnetii].

Many assays are used for the detection of the aetiological agent of Q fever, Coxiella burnetii, i.e. staining according to the method of Stamp, capture ELISA, PCR or isolation by cell culture. In this study the results of these four assays are compared for their sensitivity and specificity. Staining smears according to the method of Stamp gave many false positive or false negative results. The capture ELISA seems to be a very sensitive assay for the detection of Coxiella burnetii but it has a lack in specificity. It is a useful test system for the screening of large scales of samples. Positive ELISA results should be confirmed by PCR, a very sensitive and specific method for the detection of Coxiella burnetii but more time consumptive than the ELISA. Isolation of the agent using cell cultures was not completely satisfactory because of its lack in sensitivity. Therefore it should only be used in special cases.