1. Clinical and Epidemiological Aspects of Acute Q Fever in Reunion Island over Fourteen Years: A Retrospective Cohort Study
- Author
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Alexandra Aubin, Carole Eldin, Naël Zemali, Julien Jaubert, Yatrika Koumar, Marie-Pierre Moiton, Patrice Poubeau, Eric Braunberger, Patrick Gérardin, and Antoine Bertolotti
- Subjects
acute Q fever ,Coxiella burnetii ,pneumonia ,Reunion Island ,livestock ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
The clinical characteristics and epidemiology of Q fever in the Tropics are poorly described. We performed a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized cases between 2004 and 2017 in Reunion Island. Acute Q fever was defined in presence of a positive serology (phase II IgG ≥ 200 and phase II IgM ≥ 50), or a seroconversion (4-fold increase in phase II IgG between paired samples), or a positive PCR (blood or serum). Forty-two cases matched the diagnostic criteria. The most common clinical manifestations were fever (85.7%) and pulmonary symptoms (61.9%), including pneumonia (45.2%). Ninety percent of the patients were living in a farming area. Cumulative incidence was estimated at 9.3 per 100,000 inhabitants (95%CI: 6.4–12.1) with cases diagnosed yearly all throughout the study period except in 2006. Together with the seroprevalence figures, these data suggest that Q fever reaches low to moderate endemic levels on Reunion Island. As previously reported, pulmonary symptoms are in the foreground.
- Published
- 2023
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