Emergence of Q fever

Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis with many acute and chronic manifestations caused by the pathogen coxiella burnetii. Farm animals and pets are the main reservoirs of infection, and transmission to human beings is mainly accomplished through inhalation of contaminated aerosols. Persons at greatest risk are those in contact with farm animals and include farmer, abattoir workers, and veterinarians. The organs most commonly affected during Q fever are the heart, the arteries, the bones and the liver. The most common clinical presentation is an influenza-like illness with varying degrees condition. Endocarditis is the most serious and most frequent clinical presentation of chronic Q fever. Vascular infection is the second most frequent presentation of Q fever. The diagnosis of Q fever is based on a significant increase in serum antibody titers. The treatment is effective and well tolerated, but must be adapted to the acute or chronic pattern with the tetracyclines to be considered the mainstay of antibiotic therapy. For the treatment of Q fever during pregnancy the use of long-term cotromoxazole therapy is proposed

Is Q fever an emerging infection in Turkey?

Between 4 May and 8 August 2002,46 cases of acute fever were reported near the Black Sea region in northern Turkey. The infection was treated rapidly and successfully with tetracyclines, so clinical diagnosis of rickettsial or ehrlichial infection was considered. Analysis of serum and blood samples taken from 19 patients identified the causative organism as Coxiella burnetii; 7 cases were reported as acute Q fever and 8 as seropositive for past infection. The most common clinical symptoms among the acute cases were vomiting [100.0%], nausea [85.7%], diarrhoea [57.1%], fever [42.9%], abdominal pain [42.9%] and headache [42.9%]. Liver enzymes were elevated in all patients. It is considered that epidemiological investigation for Q fever will be essential in the affected region in future