Q Fever (Coxiella Burnetii)

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Q fever is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by the Coxiella burnetii bacterium. It is an obligate intracellular pathogen with a high infection capacity that proliferates exclusively in an acidified medium, forming a lysosome-like vacuole. It presents a peculiar phenomenon called “antigenic phase variation,” produced by a modification in the complexity of the membrane lipopolysaccharides. Q fever can be found worldwide and presents variable clinical features and geographical distribution. It mostly affects people in rural areas who are in contact with animals. The most common type of transmission to humans is via the inhalation of aerosols containing the pathogen, especially those formed from placental derivatives. Wild animals, domestic animals, and ticks are the principal reservoirs.</jats:p><jats:p>Diagnosis is mainly made by indirect methods such as serology or by direct methods such as microbiological cultures or tests that detect the specific DNA. Typically, there are two clinical presentations: the acute disease, which is more frequent and often asymptomatic, and a persistent focalized infection in 4 to 5% of patients, generally with a poor evolution. Treatment of the acute form in both children and adults consists of administering doxycycline, while persistent focalized infection should be treated with at least two antibiotics, such as doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine. Several measures should be undertaken to minimize exposure among people working with animals or handling birth products. Different vaccines have been developed to prevent infection, though few data are available.</jats:p>

Çocuklarda Q ateşi konulu literatürün derlemesi

“…Çiftlik veya vahşi hayvanlarla yakın ilişkisi olan meslek grupları en fazla risk altındadır (1,4). Enfekte hayvanlardan elde edilen süt ürünlerinin tüketimi insanlarda gıda kaynaklı Q ateşine yol açabileceğini öne süren çalışmacılar da vardır (3). Enfekte bir kadının doğum çıktıları ile (kadın doğum uzmanında) teması takiben ve transplasental, kan ve cinsel yolla bulaşan insan vakaları bildirilmiştir (2).…”

“…C. burnetii, Gram negatif bir bakteri olup, standart mikrobiyolojik kültürlerde üretilemez. Sadece asitleştirilmiş bir ortamda çoğalan, lizozom benzeri bir vakuol oluşturan, yüksek enfeksiyon kapasitesine sahip zorunlu hücre içi patojendir (3). Hastalığa yönelik farkındalık ve daha yeni tanı yöntemleri, erişkin ve çocuklarda çeşitli veya birden fazla semptomu olan olgularda tanı ve tespitin artmasına neden olmuştur (2).…”

Recent Threat of Scrub Typhus in India: A Narrative Review

“…Orientia tsutsugamushi typically takes 10-12 days for humans to develop symptoms of the illness; these include pyrexia, pain in the head, muscle pain, coughing, and gastric symptoms. Pyrexia of unexplained origin (PUO) is patients' most frequent presenting symptom [14]. The most typical symptoms are fever and headache.…”

Diagnostic and therapeutic approach to occupational pneumonia

“…Q fever [10]. Disease caused by C. burnetii, whose reservoir consists of domestic and wild animals, and ornithosis or psittacosis [11] caused by C. psittaci, whose reservoir is birds, can both manifest as pneumonia after inhalation of Coxiella spores or dust contaminated with bird droppings.…”