Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Q fever seroprevalence in metropolitan samples is similar to rural/remote samples in Queensland, Australia

  • Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Q fever is a vaccine preventable disease; however, despite this, high notification numbers are still recorded annually in Australia. We investigated the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii, the Q fever agent, in a Queensland sample population. Notification data (N = 6425) from 1984–2008 were collated, identifying high risk areas of Q fever exposure. Of these 177 were recorded in children. Serum samples were collected from Queensland and screened using both an immunoflourescence assay at 1:10 dilution and a commercially available ELISA kit. Results were collated based on age, geographical location and sex. From 1988 Queensland samples screened, 103 were identified as Q fever IgG-positive, giving a seroprevalence of 5.2% (95% CI 4.3–6.2%). Seroprevalence in the rural/remote population was 5.3% (95% CI 4.6–6.6%), and the metropolitan Brisbane population, which is considered not at risk, was 5.0% (95% CI 3.7–6.7%). Sixty-three seropositive males and 40 females were identified, along with an increase in seropositivity with increasing age. The seropositivity of children was 1.3% (95% CI 0.7–2.3%) from 844 samples. We have shown that both metropolitan and paediatric populations which are considered low risk of Coxiella exposure have surprisingly high seropositivity. These emerging groups require further investigation and consideration for the introduction of preventive measures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tissot-Dupont H et al (2004) Wind in November, Q fever in December. Emerg Infect Dis 10(7):1264–1269

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Welsh HH et al (1958) Air-borne transmission of Q fever: the role of parturition in the generation of infective aerosols. Ann NY Acad Sci 70(3):528–540

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Yanase T et al (1998) Detection of Coxiella burnetii from dust in a barn housing dairy cattle. Microbiol Immunol 42(1):51–53

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kaplan MM, Bertagna P (1955) The geographical distribution of Q fever. Bull World Health Organ 13(5):829–860

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kazár J et al (1993) Comparison of virulence for guinea pigs and mice of different Coxiella burnetii phase I strains. Acta Virol 37(6):437–448

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Maurin M, Raoult D (1999) Q fever. Clin Microbiol Rev 12(4):518–553

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Parker NR, Barralet JH, Bell AM (2006) Q fever. Lancet 367(9511):679–688

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ghigo E et al (2009) Intracellular life of Coxiella burnetii in macrophages. Ann NY Acad Sci 1166:55–66

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Fournier PE, Marrie TJ, Raoult D (1998) Diagnosis of Q fever. J Clin Microbiol 36(7):1823–1834

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Science Daily (2010) Q-Fever: a global health risk. Science Daily

  11. Ackland JR, Worswick DA, Marmion BP (1994) Vaccine prophylaxis of Q fever. A follow-up study of the efficacy of Q-Vax (CSL) 1985–1990. Med J Aust 160(11):704–708

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Ascher MS, Berman MA, Ruppanner R (1983) Initial clinical and immunologic evaluation of a new phase I Q fever vaccine and skin test in humans. J Infect Dis 148(2):214–222

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Marmion BP et al (1984) Vaccine prophylaxis of abattoir-associated Q fever. Lancet 2(8417–8418):1411–1414

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Ormsbee R (1990) Prevention of Coxiella burnetii infection: vaccines and guidelines for those at risk, in Q fever, M. BP. Editor, Boca Raton, Fla, CRC Press. p 225–248

  15. Ormsbee RA et al (1964) The influence of phase on the protective potency of Q fever vaccine. J Immunol 92(3):404–412

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gidding HF et al (2009) Australia's national Q fever vaccination program. Vaccine 27(14):2037–2041

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Barralet JH, Parker NR (2004) Q fever in children: an emerging public health issue in Queensland. Med J Aust 180(11):596–597

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Department of Health and Ageing, Australian Government (2008) The Australian Immunisation Handbook 9th Edition 2008, pp 257–264

  19. Garner MG et al (1997) A review of Q fever in Australia 1991–1994. Aust NZJ Public Health 21(7):722–730

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Davies TR et al (1997) Prevalence of Q fever in a rural practice. J Public Health Med 19(3):324–327

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Vaidya VM et al (2008) Comparison of PCR, immunofluorescence assay, and pathogen isolation for diagnosis of Q fever in humans with spontaneous abortions. J Clin Microbiol 46(6):2038–2044

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Marrie TJ, Raoult D (1997) Q fever–a review and issues for the next century. Int J Antimicrob Agents 8(3):145–161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Raoult D, Marrie T, Mege J (2005) Natural history and pathophysiology of Q fever. Lancet Infect Dis 5(4):219–226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Norlander L (2000) Q fever epidemiology and pathogenesis. Microbes Infect 2(4):417–424

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Surveillance Branch, O.o.H.P., Dept. of Health and Ageing, National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, Notifications of Diseases, Notification of Diseases Rates, C.d. intelligence, (ed) (2008) Surveillance branch, Office of Health Protection, Dept. of Health and Ageing, Camberra

  26. Worswick D, Marmion BP (1985) Antibody responses in acute and chronic Q fever and in subjects vaccinated against Q fever. J Med Microbiol 19(3):281–296

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ewing I, Australian Bureau of Statistics (2009) Spread sheets, maps, data cubes, maps. Available from: http://abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/1216.0Jul%202009?OpenDocument. Accessed 27 March 2011

  28. Hartzell JD et al (2008) Q fever: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Mayo Clin Proc 83(5):574–576

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Marrie TJ (ed) (1990) Q Fever: the disease, first edition, vol 1. CRC Press, Boca Raton

  30. Marrie TJ, Pollak PT (1995) Seroepidemiology of Q-fever in Nova-Scotia—evidence for age-dependent cohorts and geographical distribution. Eur J Epidemiol 11(1):47–54

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Langley JM et al (1988) Poker players' pneumonia. An urban outbreak of Q fever following exposure to a parturient cat. N Engl J Med 319(6):354–356

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Marrie TJ et al (1988) An outbreak of Q fever probably due to contact with a parturient cat. Chest 93(1):98–103

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Maltezou HC et al (2004) Q fever in children in Greece. Am J Trop Med Hyg 70(5):540–544

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Maltezou HC, Raoult D (2002) Q fever in children. Lancet Infect Dis 2(11):686–691

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Parker N, Robson J, Bell M (2010) A serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii infection in children and young adults in South West Queensland. Aust NZ J Public Health 34(1):79–82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Casolin A (1999) Q fever in New South Wales Department of Agriculture workers. J Occup Environ Med 41(4):273–278

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. McKelvie P (1980) Q fever in a Queensland meatworks. Med J Aust 1(12):590–593

    Google Scholar 

  38. Dupuis G et al (1986) Serological diagnosis of Q fever endocarditis. Eur Heart J 7(12):1062–1066

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Richardus JH et al (1987) Q fever in the Netherlands: a sero-epidemiological survey among human population groups from 1968 to 1983. Epidemiol Infect 98(2):211–219

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Thomas DR et al (1995) The risk of acquiring Q fever on farms: a seroepidemiological study. Occup Environ Med 52(10):644–647

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  41. Hutson B, Deaker RA, Newland J (2000) Vaccination of cattle workers at risk of Q fever on the north coast of New South Wales. Aust Fam Physician 29(7):708–709

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Hellenbrand W, Breuer T, Petersen L (2001) Changing epidemiology of Q fever in Germany, 1947–1999. Emerg Infect Dis 7(5):789–796

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Taylor R, Hunter I, Tan R (2001) Short report: prevalence of markers of exposure to Q fever in rural central Queensland. Commun Dis Intell 25(4):285–287

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Mak DB, Fry DF, Bulsara MK (2003) Prevalence of markers of Q fever exposure in the Kimberley, Western Australia. Commun Dis Intell 27(2):267–271

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Cardeñosa N et al (2006) Short report: seroprevalence of human infection by Coxiella burnetii in Barcelona (northeast of Spain). Am J Trop Med Hyg 75(1):33–35

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Seyitoglu S et al (2006) The seroprevalence of coxiellosis in farmers and cattle in Erzurum district in Turkey. Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences 30(1):71–75

    Google Scholar 

  47. Kilic S et al (2008) Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in blood donors in Ankara, Central Anatolia, Turkey. New Microbiol 31(4):527–534

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. McCaughey C et al (2008) Human seroprevalence to Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) in Northern Ireland. Zoonoses Public Health 55(4):189–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Anderson AD et al (2009) Seroprevalence of Q fever in the United States, 2003–2004. Am J Trop Med Hyg 81(4):691–694

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Gozalan A et al (2010) Seroprevalence of Q fever in a district located in the west Black Sea region of Turkey. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 29(4):465–469

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge David Stranger and Maureen Mackay of the Toowoomba Hospital Pathology department, Queensland Health for sample collection.

This study was conducted in the laboratories of the Sir Albert Sakzewski Virus Research Centre, Royal Children’s Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia and funded by a grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases Laboratory, SASVRC, Queensland Children’s Medical Research Institute, Queensland Children’s Health Service and The University of Queensland, Queensland, Australia

    S. J. Tozer, S. B. Lambert, T. P. Sloots & M. D. Nissen

  2. Microbiology Division, Pathology Queensland Central, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus, Queensland, Australia

    T. P. Sloots & M. D. Nissen

Authors
  1. S. J. Tozer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. B. Lambert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T. P. Sloots
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. D. Nissen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to S. J. Tozer or T. P. Sloots.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tozer, S.J., Lambert, S.B., Sloots, T.P. et al. Q fever seroprevalence in metropolitan samples is similar to rural/remote samples in Queensland, Australia. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 30, 1287–1293 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1225-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-011-1225-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation