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Q fever and pregnancy: experience from the Limoges Regional University Hospital

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Q fever is an ubiquitous zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii. Its tropism for the uterus is a potential source of obstetric complications.

Materials and methods

We describe the obstetric consequences of Q fever diagnosed during pregnancy from a series of cases. When an antenatal diagnosis was made, antibiotic therapy with roxithromycin (Rulid®) was started until delivery.

Results

Between 2007 and 2012, 30 patients were treated for Q fever diagnosed during pregnancy, i.e. 1.9 cases per 1000 people. The most common reasons for performing serology was intrauterine growth retardation, preterm labor and oligoamnios. Q fever was diagnosed as acute and chronic in 26 and 4 cases, respectively. Progression to chronic disease occurred in 8 % of acute forms of the diseases. The prevalence of obstetric complications was 66 %, including 10 % foetal deaths, 31 % preterm delivery and 27 % low birthweight <10th percentile. The obstetric complication rate amongst the 22 patients treated with ante partum macrolides was 60, 30 % of which involved prematurity and 33 % involved low growth. No cases of foetal death were found on treatment and no congenital malformation and placental or neonatal injury was found. No case of disease reactivation was diagnosed in the eight patients who became pregnant again.

Conclusion

Q fever during pregnancy is responsible for severe obstetric complications. It must be diagnosed early and its clinical forms known in order to start appropriate antibiotic therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Limoges Regional University Hospitals, Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Mother and Children’s Hospital, 8 avenue Dominique Larrey, 87000, Limoges, France

    Perrine Coste Mazeau, Jean-Luc Eyraud, Lorène Donadel, Aymeline Lacorre, Yves Aubard & Tristan Gauthier

  2. Limoges Regional University Hospitals, Virology Unit, 2 Avenue Martin Luther King, 87042, Limoges Cedex 1, France

    Sébastien Hantz & Sylvie Rogez

Authors
  1. Perrine Coste Mazeau
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  2. Sébastien Hantz
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  3. Jean-Luc Eyraud
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  4. Lorène Donadel
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  5. Aymeline Lacorre
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Correspondence to Perrine Coste Mazeau.

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Coste Mazeau, P., Hantz, S., Eyraud, JL. et al. Q fever and pregnancy: experience from the Limoges Regional University Hospital. Arch Gynecol Obstet 294, 233–238 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-015-3958-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-015-3958-9

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