Short communication: prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) in children in The Gambia, West Africa.

Authors :: van der Hoek W
Sarge-Njie R
Herremans T
Chisnall T
Okebe J
Oriero E
Versteeg B
Goossens B
van der Sande M
Kampmann B
Nwakanma D
Source :: Tropical medicine & international health : TM & IH [Trop Med Int Health] 2013 Jul; Vol. 18 (7), pp. 850-3. Date of Electronic Publication: 2013 Apr 19.
Publication Year :: 2013
Abstract: Objective: To estimate the prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) among children in eight villages in The Gambia, West Africa.<br />Methods: Sera of 796 children aged 1-15 years were tested for presence of antibodies against phase II of C. burnetii by ELISA.<br />Results: IgG and/or IgM phase II antibodies against C. burnetii were detectable in 8.3% (66/796) of all serum samples analysed with significant differences in seroprevalence between villages. Highest prevalence was found in the age group 1-4 years.<br />Conclusions: Exposure to C. burnetii is considerable in the early years of life in The Gambia, and further studies are warranted to estimate the role of Q fever in acute febrile illness in The Gambia and elsewhere in Africa.<br /> (© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Subjects :: Adolescent
Age Factors
Child
Child, Preschool
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Gambia epidemiology
Humans
Male
Q Fever blood
Q Fever immunology
Q Fever microbiology
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Antibodies blood
Antibodies, Bacterial blood
Coxiella burnetii immunology
Immunoglobulin G blood
Immunoglobulin M blood
Q Fever epidemiology

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