Q Fever in Nakuru, Kenya

Craddock, A. L.; Gear, J. H. S.

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(55)92898-1

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Eventually, laboratory screening revealed that they were seropositive for C. burnetii . All these patients with exception of one were adult immigrants [ 27 , 28 ]. A study conducted from 1967 to 1968 using archived sera obtained from hospitals in Western, Rift Valley, Central, Eastern, and Coast provinces of Kenya demonstrated an average seroprevalence of 35.8 % [ 29 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Q fever is an old and neglected zoonotic disease in Kenya: a systematic review

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundQ fever is a neglected zoonosis caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii. The knowledge of the epidemiology of Q fever in Kenya is limited with no attention to control and prevention programs. The purpose of this review is to understand the situation of Q fever in human and animal populations in Kenya in the past 60 years, and help identify future research priorities for the country.MethodsDatabases were searched for national and international scientific studies or reports on Q fever. We included studies and reports published between 1950 and 2015 if they reported on Q fever prevalence, incidence, and infection control programs in Kenya. Data were extracted with respect to studies on prevalence of Coxiella infections, study design, study region, the study populations involved, and sorted according to the year of the study.ResultsWe identified 15 studies and reports which qualified for data extraction. Human seroprevalence studies revealed evidence of C. burnetii infections ranging from 3 to 35.8 % in all regions in which surveys were made and two Q fever outbreak episodes. Coxiella burnetii infections found in cattle 7.4–51.1 %, sheep 6.7–20 %, camels 20–46 %, and goats 20–46 % revealed variation based on ecoregions and the year of study. Farming and lack of protective clothing were associated with increased seropositivity among humans. However, high quality data is lacking on Q fever awareness, underlying cultural-economic factors influencing C. burnetii infection, and how the pathogen cycles may be embedded in livestock production and management systems in the economically and ecologically different Kenyan regions. We found no studies on national disease incidence estimates or disease surveillance and control efforts.ConclusionCoxiella burnetii infections are common in human and in a wide range of animal populations but are still unrecognized and underestimated thus presenting a significant human and animal health threat in Kenya. The factors influencing pathogen transmission, persistence and spread are poorly understood. Integrated disease surveillance and prevention/control programs are needed in Kenya.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Q fever is an old and neglected zoonotic disease in Kenya: a systematic review

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In Kenya, serological evidence of Q fever in patients with acute febrile and respiratory illness was shown in the 1950s 13. Other studies showed the prevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii among Kenyans to range between 10% and 20% 14,15.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coxiella burnetii in Humans, Domestic Ruminants, and Ticks in Rural Western Kenya

Knobel¹,

Maina²,

Cutler³

et al. 2013

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We conducted serological surveys for Coxiella burnetii in archived sera from patients that visited a rural clinic in western Kenya from 2007 to 2008 and in cattle, sheep, and goats from the same area in 2009. We also conducted serological and polymerase chain reaction-based surveillance for the pathogen in 2009–2010, in human patients with acute lower respiratory illness, in ruminants following parturition, and in ticks collected from ruminants and domestic dogs. Antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in 30.9% (N = 246) of archived patient sera and in 28.3% (N = 463) of cattle, 32.0% (N = 378) of goats, and 18.2% (N = 159) of sheep surveyed. Four of 135 (3%) patients with acute lower respiratory illness showed seroconversion to C. burnetii. The pathogen was detected by polymerase chain reaction in specimens collected from three of six small ruminants that gave birth within the preceding 24 hours, and in five of 10 pools (50%) of Haemaphysalis leachi ticks collected from domestic dogs.

show abstract

“…Information regarding Q fever in Kenya is limited. The disease was first described in people in Nakuru in 1955 [ 16 ]. A review of Q fever in Kenya was published in 2016 reporting the seroprevalence in people to range from 3.0 to 35.8% [ 17 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of exposure to C. burnetii among slaughterhouse workers in western Kenya

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Q fever, caused by C. burnetii , has been reported in slaughterhouse workers worldwide. The most reported risk factor for seropositivity is the workers' role in the slaughterhouse. This study examined the seroprevalence and risk factors for antibodies to C. burnetii in slaughterhouse workers in western Kenya to fill a data gap relating to this emerging disease in East Africa. Individuals were recruited from all consenting slaughterhouses in the study area between February and November 2012. Information was collected from participating workers regarding demographic data, animals slaughtered and role in the slaughterhouse. Sera samples were screened for antibodies to C. burnetii using a commercial ELISA and risk factors associated with seropositivity were identified using multi-level logistic regression analysis. Slaughterhouse workers ( n = 566) were recruited from 84 ruminant slaughterhouses in western Kenya. The seroprevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii was 37.1% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 33.2–41.2%). The risk factors identified for C. burnetii seropositivity included: male workers compared to female workers, odds ratio (OR) 5.40 (95% CI 1.38–21.22); slaughtering cattle and small ruminants compared to those who only slaughtered cattle, OR 1.52 (95% CI 1.06–2.19). In addition, specific roles in the slaughterhouse were associated with increased odds of being seropositive, including cleaning the slaughterhouse, OR 3.98 (95% CI 1.39–11.43); cleaning the intestines, OR 3.24 (95% CI 1.36–7.73); and flaying the carcass OR 2.63 (95% CI 1.46–4.75) compared to being the slaughterman or foreman. We identified that slaughterhouse workers have a higher seroprevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii compared to published values in the general population from the same area. Slaughterhouse workers therefore represent an occupational risk group in this East African setting. Workers with increased contact with the viscera and fluids are at higher risk for exposure to C. burnetii . Education of workers may reduce transmission, but an alternative approach may be to consider the benefits of vaccination in high-risk groups.

show abstract

Q Fever in Nakuru, Kenya

Cited by 9 publications

References 5 publications

Q fever is an old and neglected zoonotic disease in Kenya: a systematic review

Q fever is an old and neglected zoonotic disease in Kenya: a systematic review

Coxiella burnetii in Humans, Domestic Ruminants, and Ticks in Rural Western Kenya

Evidence of exposure to C. burnetii among slaughterhouse workers in western Kenya

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About