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Nilsson K, Lukinius A, Påhlson C, Moron C, Hajem N, Ohlsson B, Lindquist O. Evidence ofRickettsiaspp. infection in Sweden: a clinical, ultrastructural and serological study. APMIS 2005;113:126–34.Sweden is an area potentially endemic for spotted fever rickettsioses.Rickettsia helveticahas been isolated from its tick vectorIxodes ricinus, and in a handful of cases linked to human disease. This study demonstrates for the first time in Sweden the transmission of rickettsial infection after a tick bite and the attack rate in an endemic area. We present three cases of documented rickettsial infection and a prospective serological study of Swedish recruits who were trained in the area where the patients lived and showed seroconversion to spotted fever rickettsiae. All patients showed a four-fold increase in antibody titer to the spotted fever rickettsia,R. helvetica,and immunohistochemical examination revealed rickettsia-like organisms in the walls of skin capillaries and veins. Electron microscopy showed organisms resemblingR. helveticaand immunogold labeling with two anti-rickettsial antibodies demonstrated specific labeling of the rickettsial organisms in the skin biopsy specimens. Eight of the thirty-five recruits showed a four-fold increase in IgG titer reflecting a high rate of exposure. The results of this study demonstrate that spotted fever rickettsioses should be taken into consideration in the diagnosis of tick-transmitted infections in Sweden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]