Abstract | BACKGROUND:
Q fever shows a wide diversity of clinical manifestation. Q fever is endemic in northern Croatia, but the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of this disease in various ecological areas of southern Croatia are unclear. MATERIAL/METHODS: From January 1985 to December 2002, acute Q fever cases hospitalized at Split University Hospital were analyzed. Acute Q fever was defined as fever (>38 degrees C) with clinical findings in lung and/or liver verified by serologic testing with Coxiella burnetii phase II antigen. RESULTS: During the period of observation, 155 acute Q fever cases were hospitalized. The mean incidence of acute Q fever in the study region was 0.20/100,000/year (95%CI:0-0.78) in the coastal area and 4.64/100,000/year (95%CI:0.44-8.85) in the non-coastal areas, with a male predominance (chi2=60.0; p=0.0000) and a mean male to female ratio of 4.2:1. People of essentially all ages (4-76 years) were affected, the highest rate of infection being recorded in 20- to 49-year-old age groups. In contrast to adults, girls were more frequently affected than boys (2:1). No case of acute Q fever was recorded on any of the nearby islands. Clinically, acute Q fever most commonly presented with both pneumonia and hepatitis (60.0%), followed by pneumonia (25.8%), hepatitis (9.0%), and nonspecific febrile illnesses (5.2%). CONCLUSIONS: C. burnetii is endemic in rural, coastal, and non-coastal areas of southern Croatia and is associated with stock breeding. In these areas, Q fever occurs sporadically and epidemically. Males 20-49 years of age were the prevalent cases.
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Authors | Boris Luksić, Volga Punda-Polić, Ivo Ivić, Ivica Bradarić, Nikola Bradarić |
Journal | Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
(Med Sci Monit)
Vol. 12
Issue 3
Pg. CR126-31
(Mar 2006)
ISSN: 1234-1010 [Print] United States |
PMID | 16501424
(Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
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Topics |
- Acute Disease
- Age Distribution
- Antibodies, Bacterial
(analysis)
- Coxiella burnetii
(immunology)
- Croatia
(epidemiology)
- Female
- Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
- Geography
- Hepatitis
(epidemiology, microbiology)
- Hospitalization
- Humans
- Incidence
- Male
- Pneumonia, Rickettsial
(epidemiology, microbiology)
- Prevalence
- Q Fever
(diagnosis, epidemiology, immunology, microbiology, pathology)
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Seasons
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
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