Patent ID: 7964366
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: C07K,G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting antibodies that specifically bind an Ehrlichia chaffeensis polypeptide in a test sample, comprising: (a) contacting a purified polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 or 5, with the test sample, under conditions that allow polypeptide/antibody complexes to form; wherein the purified polypeptide consists of less than about 50 contiguous naturally occurring Ehrlichia chaffeensis amino acids; (b) detecting the polypeptide/antibody complexes; wherein the detection of the polypeptide/antibody complexes is an indication that antibodies specific for Ehrlichia chaffeensis are present in the test sample, and wherein the absence of the polypeptide/antibody complexes is an indication that antibodies specific for Ehrlichia chaffeensis are not present in the test sample.