Among the major seroreactive SEPs, GroEL, OmpA-2, OmpB-3, PrsA, RplY, RpsB, SurA and YbgF exhibited modest sensitivity and specificity for recognizing R. heilongjiangensis infection and/or spotted fever in the protein microarray assay and/or the ELISAs. This evidence concerns the gene HSPD1 and spotted fever.