Rickettsiales of freshwater crayfish

[Cassandra Harper]

I am involved in preliminary investigations of a Rickettsiales first 
discovered in a histological survey of Cherax quadricarinatus (Australian 
freshwater crayfish) in North Queensland farms in early 1992.  I have 
been able to purify the organism from infected crayfish homogenates and 
need some help with quantitating the dose in infection trials. So does 
anyone know of a method of counting viable rickettsiae in a smear of 
purified organism? I have tried some vital stains but it is very 
difficult to see the bacteria. One paper mentioned a Malassez cell for 
counting bacteria? 

Any help anyone could give would be great.

Cassandra Harper BSc
Department of Microbiology 
James Cook University of North Queensland 
Townsville, Qld, Australia.

Email: Cassandra.Harper1 at jcu.edu.au
Telephone: (077) 814 268
Fax: 077 791 526