Determination of bacterial infections of the genus rickettsia and possibly borrelia, in patients exhibiting symptoms of disease and being blood donors

A method for determining a possible bacterial infection in a patient which

• a) exhibits symptoms selected from
• A) specific internal symptoms of disease, and/or
• B) diffuse and general manifestations of disease, and/or
• b) is a blood donor
• the method comprising:
• i) determining
• a) the level of a Rickettsia analyte in a biological sample 1 which derives from a patient exhibiting symptoms according to (A), possibly combined with
• b) the level of a Borrelia analyte in a biological sample 2 which derives from the same patient,
• ii) considering that the symptoms exhibited by said patient involve
• a) rickettsiosis if the level of the Rickettsia analyte in sample 1 is elevated compared to corresponding samples from healthy individuals, and
• b) borrelios if the level of the Borrelia analyte in sample 2 is elevated compared to corresponding samples from healthy individuals,
• which for said blood donor means that whole blood and blood fractions obtained from said blood donor are considered to be infected with Rickettsia and Borrelia when these levels are elevated in samples 1 and 2, respectively.

A kit for the determination of bacterial infection of a patient a) having symptoms that potentially may be associated with infection by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia and/or the genus Borrelia, or b) being a blood donor, the kit comprising:

• A) a Rickettsia reactant specific for detecting a Rickettsia analyte and selected amongst
• i) an anti-Rickettsia antibody which is specific for a native Rickettsia antigen (analyte), and
• ii) a Rickettsia antigen which is an affinity counterpart to a native anti-Rickettsia antibody (analyte)
• B) a Borrelia reactant specific for detecting a Borrelia analyte and selected amongst
• i) an anti-Borrelia antibody which is specific for a native Borrelia antigen (analyte), and
• ii) a Borrelia antigen which is an affinity counterpart to a native n anti-Borrelia antibody (analyte).