Publications

Comparison of ELISA and indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay detecting Coxiella burnetii IgM phase II for the diagnosis of acute Q fever.	A commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detecting Coxiella burnetii phase II-specific IgM for the diagnosis of acute Q fever was compared with indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA). IFA is the current reference method for the detection of antibodies against C. burnetii, but has disadvantages because the judgment of fluorescence is subjective and tiring, and the test is expensive and automation is not possible. To examine whether phase II IgM ELISA could be us ...	2011	21997772
Development of a set of multiplex standard polymerase chain reaction assays for the identification of infectious agents from aborted bovine clinical samples.	The current study describes the development of a set of 5 multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assays for the simultaneous detection of abortive infection agents in bovine fetal tissues, including Brucella spp., Leptospira spp., and Campylobacter fetus (mPCR1); Hammondia heydorni, Neospora caninum, and Toxoplasma gondii (mPCR2); Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydophila psittaci (mPCR3); Mycoplasma bovis, Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, and Ureaplasma diversum (mPCR4); and Bovine viral diarrhea virus ...	2011	21908306
The ligands of Numb proteins X1 and X2 are specific markers for chronic Q fever.	Q fever is a disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium. Acute Q fever is spontaneously resolutive and is characterized by an efficient immune response. In contrast, chronic Q fever is characterized by dysregulated immune response, as demonstrated by the failure of C. burnetii to induce lymphoproliferation and the lack of granulomas. Recently, it has been demonstrated that when co-expressed in heterologous mammalian cell lines, the ligands of Numb proteins X1 and X2 ...	2011	22066909
endograft-preserving therapy of a patient with coxiella burnetii-infected abdominal aortic aneurysm: a case report.	abstract:	2011	22145758
virulence of pathogenic coxiella burnetii strains after growth in the absence of host cells.	coxiella burnetii is a gram-negative bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease q fever. traditionally considered an obligate intracellular agent, the requirement to be grown in tissue culture cells, embryonated eggs, or animal hosts has made it difficult to isolate strains and perform genetic studies on c. burnetii. however, it was recently demonstrated that the attenuated nine mile phase 2 (nm2) c. burnetii strain will grow axenically in acidified citrate cysteine medium (accm) in a 2.5% oxyge ...	2011	21867419
q fever: current state of knowledge and perspectives of research of a neglected zoonosis.	q fever is an ubiquitous zoonosis caused by an resistant intracellular bacterium, coxiella burnetii. in certain areas, q fever can be a severe public health problem, and awareness of the disease must be promoted worldwide. nevertheless, knowledge of coxiella burnetii remains limited to this day. its resistant (intracellular and environmental) and infectious properties have been poorly investigated. further understanding of the interactions between the infected host and the bacteria is necessary. ...	2011	22194752
genomotyping of coxiella burnetii using microarrays reveals a conserved genomotype for hard tick isolates.	c. burnetii is a gram-negative intracellular y-proteobacteria that causes the zoonotic disease q fever. q fever can manifest as an acute or chronic illness. different typing methods have been previously developed to classify c. burnetii isolates to explore its pathogenicity. here, we report a comprehensive genomotyping method based on the presence or absence of genes using microarrays. the genomotyping method was then tested in 52 isolates obtained from different geographic areas, different host ...	2011	22046248
'real-time' pcr-based detection of coxiella burnetii using conventional techniques.	the diagnosis of q fever (coxiella burnetii infection) relies primarily on the serological detection of specific antibodies. recently, pcr-based methods have been introduced in diagnostic laboratories. unfortunately, the fastest and most reliable 'real-time' detection method, which employs the 'online' detection of target nucleotide sequences while the amplification process is still in progress, requires expensive devices and consumables. in this study, we present a simple method that combines t ...	2011	22098107
coxiella burnetii in northern fur seal (callorhinus ursinus) placentas from st. paul island, alaska.	abstract the decline in the number of northern fur seal (nfs; callorhinus ursinus) pups on st. paul island, alaska, has led to multidisciplinary research, including investigation into issues of reproductive health and success. given the recent identification of coxiella burnetii in the placenta of two other marine mammal species, nfs placentas were collected from reef rookery on st. paul island, alaska, during the 2010 pupping season, examined histologically, and tested for c. burnetii using p ...	2011	22017469
effects of coxiella burnetii on mapkinases phosphorylation.	q fever is a disease caused by coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium. acute q fever is characterized by efficient immune response, whereas chronic q fever is characterized by dysregulated immune response as demonstrated by the lack of granulomas, the failure of c. burnetii to induce lymphoproliferation, and interferon-γ production. the mitogen-activated protein kinase (mapk) signaling pathway plays crucial roles in innate immune responses and control of bacterial infections. how ...	2011	22092597
seroprevalence and risk factors of q fever in goats on commercial dairy goat farms in the netherlands, 2009-2010.	abstract: background: the aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of coxiella burnetii in dairy goat farms in the netherlands and to identify risk factors for farm and goat seropositivity before mandatory vaccination started. we approached 334 eligible farms with more than 100 goats for serum sampling and a farm questionnaire. per farm, median 21 goats were sampled. a farm was considered positive when at least one goat tested elisa positive. results: in total, 2,828 goat serum sa ...	2011	22208798
coxiella burnetii vaginal shedding and antibody responses in dairy goat herds in a context of clinical q fever outbreaks.	this study, carried out in three goats herds, was aimed at describing individual responses to q fever infection in an abortive context, focusing on both antibody and shedding levels. seroprevalence of coxiella burnetii (cb) infection and vaginal shedding of 1083 goats were investigated using elisa and real-time qpcr assays, respectively. at the end of the outbreaks, a seroprevalence of 45.0% was found and vaginal shedding appeared massive with levels above 10(4) cb/swab in 42.3% of the whole pop ...	2011	22066517
acute q fever presenting as antiphospholipid syndrome, pneumonia, and acalculous cholecystitis and masquerading as mycoplasma pneumoniae and hepatitis c viral infections.	we report a case of q fever-related antiphospholipid syndrome in a patient presenting with acalculous cholecystitis and pneumonia. serial laboratory tests indicated that the previous serological tests suggesting hepatitis c virus and mycoplasma pneumoniae infections were false-positives. the patient's fever persisted despite treatment with doxycycline, but disappeared 1 day after initiation of steroid treatment. to avoid incorrect diagnosis and subsequent delays in appropriate treatment of ...	2011	22116335
molecular detection of coxiella burnetii and neospora caninum in equine aborted foetuses and neonates.	abortion, stillbirth and neonatal death are major causes of equine mortality and cause severe economic loss to the equine industry. the present study was based on a complete necropsy protocol associated with classical microbiological examinations and molecular biology on 407 cases of abortion, stillbirths and neonate death. based on this retrospective survey, "less common" abortive infectious agents were characterised by molecular tools in nine independent cases of abortion or neonate mortality. ...	2011	22130310
relevance of the positron emission tomography in the diagnosis of vascular graft infection with coxiella burnetii.	coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of q fever, may cause culture-negative vascular graft infections that can be diagnosed by serology and molecular biology. we present a case of vascular graft infection detected by positron emission tomography (pet) scanner. the presence of c. burnetii was confirmed by high antibody titers and positive polymerase chain reaction specific for c. burnetii. this report emphasizes the relevance of the pet scanner in the diagnosis of infection when used in associa ...	2011	22033287
characterization of the gdp-d-mannose biosynthesis pathway in coxiella burnetii: the initial steps for gdp-β-d-virenose biosynthesis.	coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of human q fever, is a gram-negative and naturally obligate intracellular bacterium. the o-specific polysaccharide chain (o-ps) of the lipopolysaccharide (lps) of c. burnetii is considered a heteropolymer of the two unusual sugars β-d-virenose and dihydrohydroxystreptose and mannose. we hypothesize that gdp-d-mannose is a metabolic intermediate to gdp-β-d-virenose. gdp-d-mannose is synthesized from fructose-6-phosphate in 3 successive reactions; isomerizati ...	2011	22065988
the 2007-2010 q fever epidemic in the netherlands: characteristics of notified acute q fever patients and the association with dairy goat farming.	we describe the q fever epidemic in the netherlands with emphasis on the epidemiological characteristics of acute q fever patients and the association with veterinary factors. data from 3,264 notifications for acute q fever in the period from 2007 through 2009 were analysed. the patients most affected were men, smokers and persons aged 40-60 years. pneumonia was the most common clinical presentation (62% in 2007 and 2008). only 3.2% of the patients were working in the agriculture sector and 0.5% ...	2011	22066649
shedding and serological patterns of dairy cows following abortions associated with coxiella burnetii dna detection.	to describe both shedding and serological patterns following abortions detected as being associated with coxiella burnetii (cb), 24 cows experiencing an abortion due to cb were followed over a one month period. samples taken on the day of abortion (d0) were followed 3-fold by weekly samplings from day 14 (d14) to d28 after the abortion. milk and vaginal mucus were collected at each weekly sampling and tested using real-time pcr while blood samples were collected 2-fold on d21 and d28 and tested ...	2011	21996545
dot/icm type ivb secretion system requirements for coxiella burnetii growth in human macrophages.	central to q fever pathogenesis is replication of the causative agent, coxiella burnetii, within a phagolysosome-like parasitophorous vacuole (pv) in mononuclear phagocytes. c. burnetii modulates pv biogenesis and other host cell functions, such as apoptotic signaling, presumably via the activity of proteins delivered to the host cytosol by a dot/icm type ivb secretion system (t4bss). in this study, we utilized a c. burnetii strain carrying icmd inactivated by the himar1 transposon to investigat ...	2011	21862628
the coxiella burnetii dot/icm system creates a comfortable home through lysosomal renovation.	understanding the molecular pathogenesis of coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of human q fever, has historically been hindered by the technical difficulties of genetically manipulating obligate intracellular bacteria. the recent development of culture conditions suitable for axenic propagation of c. burnetii has paved the way for the application of a range of genetic techniques to address key questions within the field. recent studies using mutational analysis have revealed that the c. burn ...	2011	22010216
bilateral simultaneous facial palsy following scrub typhus meningitis: a case report and literature review.	scrub typhus is widely distributed across the asia-pacific region, taiwan included. the clinical manifestations and complications of scrub typhus vary and the illness ranges in severity from mild to fatal. the etiology of facial nerve palsy varies and infectious agents have been associated with this condition. rickettsiae species have, however, rarely been reported as the causative agents. we report the case of a 49-year-old man who had fever, malaise, headache, oligouria and tea-colored urine. ...	2011	22208541
determination of coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in macropods in australia.	many animal species, including macropods, have the potential to act as atypical reservoirs of the causative agent of q fever, coxiella burnetii. the objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of c. burnetii in various macropod species in australia. competitive and indirect elisas were developed for the testing of macropod sera for antibodies to phase ii and i c. burnetii antigens separately. a total of 500 macropod serum samples from selected species sampled in eastern and weste ...	2011	21925808
foxp3(+) cd4(+) cd25(+) regulatory t cells are increased in patients with coxiella burnetii endocarditis.	chronic q fever, which principally manifests as endocarditis, is characterized by coxiella burnetii persistence and an impaired cell-mediated immune response. the long-term persistence of pathogens has been associated with the expansion of regulatory t cells (tregs), the cd4(+) t-cell subset that is characterized by the expression of cd25 and foxp3. we investigated the presence of tregs in patients with acute q fever (n = 17), known to exhibit an efficient immune response, patients with q fever ...	2011	22098165
four-year evaluation of the effect of vaccination against coxiella burnetii on reduction of animal infection and environmental contamination in a naturally infected dairy sheep flock.	vaccination is considered one of the best options for controlling coxiella burnetii infection in livestock. the efficacy of a phase i vaccine was investigated over 4 years in a sheep flock with confirmed c. burnetii infection. shedding was not detected in ewes and yearlings in the last 2 years, but c. burnetii still persisted in the environment.	2011	21856829
Efficient activation of T cells by human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (HMDCs) pulsed with Coxiella burnetii outer membrane protein Com1 but not by HspB-pulsed HMDCs.	Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium and the etiologic agent of Q fever; both coxiella outer membrane protein 1 (Com1) and heat shock protein B (HspB) are its major immunodominant antigens. It is not clear whether Com1 and HspB have the ability to mount immune responses against C. burnetii infection.	2011	21888659
Dynamics of relationship between the presence of Coxiella burnetii DNA, antibodies, and intrinsic variables in cow milk and bulk tank milk from Danish dairy cattle.	Milk samples of 12 Danish dairy herds were collected 3 times during an 11-mo period and tested for Coxiella burnetii DNA by real-time PCR, detecting the IS1111 element, and for the presence of antibodies against the bacterium by ELISA. On average, 25% of 1,514 samples were seropositive and 32% were positive for C. burnetii DNA. Among the 485 DNA-positive samples, quantification cycle values ranging from 15.8 to 37.8 were found. Test sensitivity did not increase after DNA extraction from the crea ...	2011	22118065
genetics of coxiella burnetii: on the path of specialization.	coxiella burnetii is an extremely infectious, zoonotic agent that causes q fever in humans. with the exception of new zealand, the bacterium is distributed worldwide. coxiella is classified as a select agent based on its past and potential use as a bioweapon and its threat to public health. despite decades of research, we know relatively little regarding coxiella?s molecular pathogenesis, and a vaccine is not widely available. this article briefly reviews the unusual genetics of c. burnetii; a p ...	2011	22082290
Notes from the field: Q fever outbreak associated with goat farms--Washington and Montana, 2011.	On April 22, 2011, the Q fever bacterium Coxiella burnetii was detected in a goat placenta collected from a farm in Washington, where 14 of 50 (28%) pregnant does had aborted since January. A county health alert advised health-care providers to ask patients with symptoms compatible with Q fever (e.g., fever, headache, chills, and myalgia) about exposure to goats, and the owners of the farm informed purchasers of their goats that C. burnetii had been detected in their herd. On May 25, the county ...	2011	21993345
high frequency of tropheryma whipplei in culture-negative endocarditis.	"classical" whipple's disease (cwd) is caused by tropheryma whipplei and is characterized by arthropathy, weight loss, and diarrhea. t. whipplei infectious endocarditis (twie) is rarely reported, either in the context of cwd or as isolated twie without signs of systemic infection. the frequency of twie is unknown, and systematic studies are lacking. here, we performed an observational cohort study on the incidence of t. whipplei infection in explanted heart valves in two german university center ...	2011	22135251
Placental histopathology after Coxiella burnetii infection during pregnancy.	Symptomatic and asymptomatic Coxiella burnetii infection during pregnancy have been associated with obstetric complications. We described placental histopathology and clinical outcome of five cases with asymptomatic C. burnetii infection during pregnancy and compared these cases with four symptomatic cases from the literature. In contrast with the symptomatic cases, we did not observe necrosis or active inflammation in the placentas of the asymptomatic women. Obstetrical outcome was more favoura ...	2011	22142774
A comparison of the serological evidence of Coxiella burnetii exposure between military working dogs and feral canines in Iraq.	Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever. Military working dogs (MWDs) are exposed to disease while deployed and are a potential source for human infection. This study assesses the exposure of MWDs via postdeployment antibody serology. In 2007 and 2008, 115 deployed MWDs and 165 feral Iraqi canines had blood samples taken and evaluated for antibodies to C. burnetii. None of the MWDs seroconverted, alleviating the need to consider predeployment titers, while 5.5% o ...	2011	22128642
serological evidence of coxiella burnetii infection in dogs in a regional centre.	objective investigate the seroprevalence of the causative agent of q fever, coxiella burnetii in domestic dogs in the townsville region, north queensland, australia. method blood samples were collected from dogs attending veterinary clinics for routine procedures. results an overall seropositivity of 21.8% (95% confidence interval (ci) 21.6-22.1%) was observed. a retrospective study of samples collected in the same region during 1984-85 was also performed, with an overall seropositivity of 16.0% ...	2011	21933165
Q fever among culling workers, the Netherlands, 2009-2010.	In 2009, dairy goat farms in the Netherlands were implicated in >2,300 cases of Q fever; in response, 51,820 small ruminants were culled. Among 517 culling workers, despite use of personal protective equipment, 17.5% seroconverted for antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. Vaccination of culling workers could be considered.	2011	21888803
prevalence of coxiella burnetii in livestock abortion material using pcr.		2011	21900261
Chronic Q fever: relevance of serology.		2011	21890784
longitudinal and cross-sectional assessments of age changes in physical strength as related to sex, social class, and mental ability.		2011	4833758
asymptomatic hyperuricemia and allopurinol induced toxic epidermal necrolysis.		2011	3160433
cancer and malnutrition--a critical interaction: a review.		2011	3917603
cancer and malnutrition--a critical interaction: a review.		2011	3917603
squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck treated with radiotherapy: does planned neck dissection reduce the change for successful surgical management of subsequent local recurrence?	for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck whose primary lesion is managed with radiotherapy, radiotherapy alone or in combination with neck dissection may be used to treat clinically positive neck nodes. although these two treatment options produce similar control rates for small mobile nodes, it is our impression that radiotherapy plus neck dissection is the preferred treatment for more advanced neck disease. the question that arises is whether the addition of a neck dissec ...	2011	3220770
[changes in the electropherogram caused by heparin (plasma electrophoresis)--a cause for erroneous interpretations].		2011	3247790
q fever endocarditis in romania: the first cases confirmed by direct sequencing.	infective endocarditis (ie) is a serious, life-threatening disease with highly variable clinical signs, making its diagnostic a real challenge. a diagnosis is readily made if blood cultures are positive, but in 2.5 to 31% of all infective endocarditis cases, routine blood cultures are negative. in such situations, alternative diagnostic approaches are necessary. coxiella burnetii and bartonella spp. are the etiological agents of blood culture-negative endocarditis (bcne) most frequently identifi ...	2011	22272146
in this year of the veterinarian, we are including a series of papers on the history of veterinary medicine in australia.	disease control during the colonial period in australiaôçâ-àôçâneurological diseases of ruminant livestock in australiaôçâ-àôçâcoxiella burnetii in beef cattle in queenslandôçâ-àôçâdesmotomy for flexural deformity in thoroughbredsôçâ-àôçâacute myeloid leukaemia in a thoroughbred foalôçâ-àôçâgrowth variants of avibacterium paragallinarumôçâ-àôçâvolvulus in a dugong.	2011	21696368
detection of coxiella burnetii, the agent of q fever, in oviducts and uterine flushing media and in genital tract tissues of the non pregnant goat.	the aim of the present study was the detection and quantification of coxiella burnetii dna in the flushing media (oviducts and uterine horns) and genital tract tissues of non pregnant goats from 20 goats chosen at random from 86 goats originating from 56 different breeding herds in south-west france. the serological prevalence rate of c. burnetii in the study population was 70.3%. the dna of c. burnetii was identified using conventional pcr in the flushing media from the oviducts and uterus in 8 ...	2011	21680021
advances in genetic manipulation of obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens.	infections by obligate intracellular bacterial pathogens result in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. these bacteria include chlamydia spp., which causes millions of cases of sexually transmitted disease and blinding trachoma annually, and members of the +¦-proteobacterial genera anaplasma, ehrlichia, orientia, and rickettsia, agents of serious human illnesses including epidemic typhus. coxiella burnetii, the agent of human q fever, has also been considered a prototypical obligate in ...	2011	21833334
coxiella burnetii causing haemophagocytic syndrome: a rare complication of an unusual pathogen.	we describe an unusual presentation of q fever with associated haemophagocytic syndrome, confirmed by bone marrow aspirate, q fever polymerase chain reaction (pcr) and serological testing. clinical recovery was observed after the commencement of doxycycline with normalisation of the patient's full blood count and serum biochemistry. serial monitoring of the q fever serology revealed the subsequent development of sustained high phase 1 igg antibodies, suggestive of chronic q fever. although many ...	2011	21713429
epizootiologic investigations of selected abortive agents in free-ranging alpine ibex (capra ibex ibex) in switzerland.	in the early 2000s, several colonies of alpine ibex (capra ibex ibex) in switzerland ceased growing or began to decrease. reproductive problems due to infections with abortive agents might have negatively affected recruitment. we assessed the presence of selected agents of abortion in alpine ibex by serologic, molecular, and culture techniques and evaluated whether infection with these agents might have affected population densities. blood and fecal samples were collected from 651 ibex in 14 col ...	2011	21719818
visits on 'lamb-viewing days' at a sheep farm open to the public was a risk factor for q fever in 2009.	summarybetween february and may 2009, 347 laboratory-confirmed cases of acute q fever were reported in a southern municipal health service region in the netherlands. commercial dairy-goat farms were implicated and control measures were initially targeted there. a preliminary investigation also implicated a non-dairy sheep farm, open to the public on 'lamb-viewing days'. this study tested the association between visiting the non-dairy sheep farm and developing q fever in residents of the region b ...	2011	21835066
[primary transport of acute patients. optimal use of rescue resources exemplified by the canton of graubünden].		2011	3927607
dose-response model of coxiella burnetii (q fever).	q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the intracellular gram-negative bacterium coxiella burnetii (c. burnetii), which only multiplies within the phagolysosomal vacuoles. q fever may manifest as acute or chronic disease. the acute form is generally not fatal and manifestes as self-controlled febrile illness. chronic q fever is usually characterized by endocarditis. many animal models, including humans, have been studied for q fever infection through various exposure routes. the studies conside ...	2011	20723147
is it flu-or q fever?		2011	21157287
a comparison of methods for extracting dna from coxiella burnetii as measured by a duplex qpcr assay.	to determine the optimal dna extraction method for the detection of coxiella burnetii including the small-cell variant (scv) by real-time pcr (qpcr) in clinical samples.	2011	21338377
assessing q fever in a representative sample from the united states population: identification of a potential occupational hazard.	summaryq fever has been associated with exposure to domesticated livestock and the agricultural industry. however large population-based studies examining the relationship are lacking. this report sought to describe the association between coxiella burnetii infection and participation in agricultural work in the 2003-2004 national health and nutrition examination survey. adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that agricultural workers were six times more likely to have antibody evidence of ...	2011	21371363
successful management of chronic multifocal q fever osteomyelitis with adjuvant interferon-gamma therapy.	we present a 3-year-old girl who had chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis caused by coxiella burnetii despite long-term dual antibiotic therapy. excellent clinical response was achieved and sustained when immunomodulatory therapy with interferon-? was initiated. this is the case of a first child who was successfully treated with interferon-? as adjuvant therapy for chronic multifocal q fever osteomyelitis.	2011	21372749
dsba2 (27 kda com1-like protein) of legionella pneumophila catalyses extracytoplasmic disulphide-bond formation in proteins including the dot/icm type iv secretion system.	in gram-negative bacteria, thiol oxidoreductases catalyse the formation of disulphide bonds (dsb) in extracytoplasmic proteins. in this study, we sought to identify dsb-forming proteins required for assembly of macromolecular structures in legionella pneumophila. here we describe two dsb-forming proteins, one annotated as dsba1 and the other annotated as a 27 kda outer membrane protein similar to com1 of coxiella burnetii, which we designate as dsba2. both proteins are predicted to be periplasmi ...	2011	21375592
q fever in france, 1985-2009.	to assess q fever in france, we analyzed data for 1985-2009 from the french national reference center. a total of 179,794 serum samples were analyzed; 3,723 patients (one third female patients) had acute q fever. yearly distribution of acute q fever showed a continuous increase. periodic variations were observed in monthly distribution during january 2000-december 2009; cases peaked during april-september. q fever was diagnosed more often in patients in southeastern france, where our laboratory ...	2011	21392423
reduction of coxiella burnetii prevalence by vaccination of goats and sheep, the netherlands.	recently, the number of human q fever cases in the netherlands increased dramatically. in response to this increase, dairy goats and dairy sheep were vaccinated against coxiella burnetii. all pregnant dairy goats and dairy sheep in herds positive for q fever were culled. we identified the effect of vaccination on bacterial shedding by small ruminants. on the day of culling, samples of uterine fluid, vaginal mucus, and milk were obtained from 957 pregnant animals in 13 herds. prevalence and bacte ...	2011	21392427
outbreak of q fever, florac, southern france, spring 2007.	in may 2007, five patients with q fever-like symptoms were reported in an agricultural educational center in the rural southern french town of florac. an investigation was undertaken to identify the outbreak source and risk factors for infection, and to implement control measures.	2011	21395417
seroprevalence of 10 zoonotic infections in 2 canadian cree communities.	we evaluated the seroprevalence of 10 zoonotic agents among the general population (15 years old and over) of eastmain and wemindji, james bay, quebec, in 2007. overall seroprevalence rates were similar between the 2 communities. nearly half the individuals tested (n = 251; 146 women, 105 men) were seropositive (n = 115) for at least one zoonosis. the highest seroprevalence rates were for leptospira sp. (23%), francisella tularensis (17%), and the california serogroup viruses (jc and ssh viruses ...	2011	21398073
q fever abortions in ruminants and associated on-farm risk factors in northern cyprus.		2011	21414196
identification of cd4+ t cell epitopes in c. burnetii antigens targeted by antibody responses.	coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium that causes acute q fever and chronic infections in humans. a killed, whole cell vaccine is efficacious, but vaccination can result in severe local or systemic adverse reactions. although t cell responses are considered pivotal for vaccine derived protective immunity, the epitope targets of cd4(+) t cell responses in c. burnetii vaccination have not been elucidated. since mapping cd4(+) epitopes in a genome with over 2,000 or ...	2011	21423609
tick-borne bacteria in mouflons and their ectoparasites in cyprus.	the cypriot mouflon (ovis orientalis ophion), a once almost extirpated species of wild sheep, is under strict surveillance because it can be threatened by likely transmission of pathogenic bacteria, such as anaplasma spp., rickettsia spp., and coxiella burnetii, primarily from domestic ungulates. we collected 77 blood samples from cypriot mouflons and 663 of their ectoparasites (rhipicephalus turanicus, rhipicephalus sanguineus, rhipicephalus bursa, hyalomma anatolicum excavatum, hyalomma margin ...	2011	21441182
[q fever on petting zoos].		2011	21442843
enhanced detection of coxiella burnetii with a complementary locked primer-based real-time pcr method.	coxiella burnetii is the bacterial causative agent of q fever in humans. because q fever can establish itself with an initial inoculation of fewer than ten c. burnetii cells, a sensitive detection method for c. burnetii infection is needed for early detection. we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a complementary locked primer (clp)-based real-time pcr method for sensitive detection of c. burnetii infection.	2011	21452906
recurrent fever of unknown origin (fuo): aseptic meningitis, hepatosplenomegaly, pericarditis and a double quotidian fever due to juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (jra).	background: fever of unknown origin (fuo) has been defined as a fever of =101°f that persists for 3 weeks or more. it is not readily diagnosed after 1 week of intensive in-hospital testing or after intensive outpatient or inpatient testing. fevers of unknown origin may be caused by infectious diseases, malignancies, collagen vascular diseases, or a variety of miscellaneous disorders. the relative distribution of causes of fuos is partly age-related. in the elderly, the preponderance of fuos is a ...	2011	21453973
chronic q fever: different serological results in three countries--results of a follow-up study 6 years after a point source outbreak.	acute and chronic q fever/coxiella burnetii infection is diagnosed principally by serology. the management of patients who have serological evidence of chronic q fever but no other manifestation of chronic infection is challenging.	2011	21460316
molecular epidemiology of coxiella burnetii from ruminants in q fever outbreak, the netherlands.	q fever is a zoonosis caused by the bacterium coxiella burnetii. one of the largest reported outbreaks of q fever in humans occurred in the netherlands starting in 2007; epidemiologic investigations identified small ruminants as the source. to determine the genetic background of c. burnetii in domestic ruminants responsible for the human q fever outbreak, we genotyped 126 c. burnetii-positive samples from ruminants by using a 10-loci multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analyses panel and co ...	2011	21470457
isolation from animal tissue and genetic transformation of coxiella burnetii are facilitated by an improved axenic growth medium.	we recently described acidified citrate cysteine medium (accm), which supports host cell-free (axenic) growth of coxiella burnetii. after 6 days of incubation, greater than 3 logs of growth was achieved with the avirulent nine mile phase ii (nmii) strain. here, we describe modified accm and culture conditions that support improved growth of c. burnetii and their use in genetic transformation and pathogen isolation from tissue samples. accm was modified by replacing fetal bovine serum with methyl ...	2011	21478315
insights into the dynamics of endemic coxiella burnetii infection in cattle by application of phase-specific elisas in an infected dairy herd.	serological diagnosis of acute and chronic q fever in humans relies on detection of antibodies to phase i (phi) and ii (phii) antigens of coxiella (c.) burnetii. although phase-specific antigens are available, they are not yet used in ruminants as they are in humans. this study focuses on phase-specific serology as a tool for analysis of the dynamics of infection in cattle. as a prerequisite, sero-prevalence in bavarian cattle (1) and sero-prevalences for age-groups (2) were determined by elisa ...	2011	21482042
q fever seroprevalence in metropolitan samples is similar to rural/remote samples in queensland, australia.	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 dil ...	2011	21499708
coxiella burnetii seropositivity is highly stable throughout gestation in lactating high-producing dairy cows.	the aims of this study were to analyse, in high-producing dairy cows, plasma coxiella burnetii antibody titres and seroconversion throughout gestation, along with possible factors affecting such titres. the study was performed on 65 lactating pregnant non-aborting animals in a commercial holstein-friesian dairy herd in northeastern spain. blood samples for antibody determinations were collected on days 40, 90, 120, 150, 180 and 210 of gestation. by general linear model (glm) repeated measures an ...	2011	21507080
evaluation of a diagnostic algorithm for acute q fever in an outbreak setting.	in the peak of the 2009 q fever outbreak in the netherlands, we introduced a diagnostic algorithm for acute q fever with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for immunoglobulin m antibodies to coxiella burnetii phase ii antigens (mii screen) as an initial step. subsequently, an immunofluorescence assay or pcr was performed depending on the mii screen outcome, date of onset of disease, and inpatient or outpatient setting. the impact of mii screen on the number of immunofluorescence assays perform ...	2011	21508172
immunological arousal during acute q fever infection.	physicians often encounter patients who present with a vague clinical syndrome. a wide serological workup is often ordered, which may include tests for coxiella burnetii in endemic areas. often, the results of these tests pose new dilemma, with overlapping positive laboratory assays. the objective of this investigation was to characterise the serological overlap between acute q fever and other infectious and immunological diseases. we retrospectively scanned the files of patients with a positive ...	2011	21509477
[q fever as a cause of acute hepatitis accompanying fever.]	q fever is a zoonotic infection caused by coxiella burnetti, which has been previously regarded as an uncommon infectious disease in korea but is sporadically reported recently. common manifestations of acute q fever usually present as influenza-like illness, pneumonia and occasionally hepatitis. herein, we report 4 cases of acute q fever as a cause of acute hepatitis and fever. all patients had fever and non-specific symptoms, and laboratory test showed acute hepatitis. antibody surveys for man ...	2011	21519168
compendium of measures to prevent disease associated with animals in public settings, 2011: national association of state public health veterinarians, inc.	certain venues encourage or permit the public to be in contact with animals, resulting in millions of human-animal interactions each year. these settings include county or state fairs, petting zoos, animal swap meets, pet stores, feed stores, zoologic institutions, circuses, carnivals, educational farms, livestock-birthing exhibits, educational exhibits at schools and child-care facilities, and wildlife photo opportunities. although human-animal contact has many benefits, human health problems a ...	2011	21546893
q fever in the netherlands: the role of local environmental conditions.	the netherlands is facing a q fever epidemic in which dairy goats are implicated. people living close to an affected farm have an increased risk. however, no human cases were reported around a number of farms with serious q fever problems. to assess the role of local environmental conditions which may add to the transmission or risk of q fever, we gathered datasets on vegetation, land use, soil characteristics, and weather conditions in 5 km areas around infected farms. areas without transmissio ...	2011	21563011
a proteomic approach to investigate the differential antigenic profile of two coxiella burnetii strains.	q fever is a widespread zoonosis caused by coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium. current diagnostics of q fever is based on serological testing of patient serum. biological distinction among c. burnetii strains has been referred at the genetic level as well as in virulence in animal models of q fever. disclosure of strain specific antigens might show insight into the biology and pathogenesis of this query pathogen, as well as it can provide the literature with pot ...	2011	21565289
application of broad-range resequencing array rpm-tei for detection of pathogens in desert dust samples from kuwait and iraq.	a significant percentage of the human population is exposed to high levels of naturally occurring airborne dusts. although the link between airborne particulate inhalation and a variety of respiratory diseases has been long established, little is known about the pathogenic role of the microbial component of the dust. in this study, we applied highly multiplexed pcr and a high-density resequencing microarray (rpm-tei 1.0) to screen samples of fine topsoil particles and airborne dust collected in ...	2011	21571877
modelling effectiveness of herd level vaccination against q fever in dairy cattle.	abstract: q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the bacterium coxiella burnetii. the control of this infection in cattle is crucial: infected ruminants can indeed encounter reproductive disorders and represent the most important source of human infection. in the field, vaccination is currently advised in infected herds but the comparative effectiveness of different vaccination protocols has never been explored: the duration of the vaccination programme and the category of animals to be vacci ...	2011	21605376
coxiella symbionts in the cayenne tick amblyomma cajennense.	members of the coxiella genus are intracellular bacteria that can infect a variety of animals including humans. a symbiotic coxiella was recently described in amblyomma americanum ticks in the northern hemisphere with no further investigations of other amblyomma species in other geographic regions. these ixodid ticks represent a group of important vectors for human infectious agents. in the present work, we have demonstrated that symbiotic coxiella (scox) are widespread, occurring in south ameri ...	2011	21611689
tick-borne bacteria in free-living jaguars (panthera onca) in pantanal, brazil.	abstract tick-borne bacteria were investigated in 10 free-living jaguars and their ticks in the pantanal biome, brazil. jaguar sera were tested by indirect fluorescent antibody assays using rickettsia rickettsii, rickettsia parkeri, rickettsia amblyommii, rickettsia rhipicephali, rickettsia felis, rickettsia bellii, ehrlichia canis, and coxiella burnetii as crude antigens. all 10 jaguar sera reacted (titer ≥64) to at least one rickettsia species; 4 and 3 sera reacted with e. canis and c. burneti ...	2011	21612532
[q fever in the netherlands: current status, results from veterinary research and expectations of the coming years].		2011	21614850
proteomic comparison of virulent phase i and avirulent phase ii of coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of q fever.	coxiella burnetii, a category b biological warfare agent, causes multiple outbreaks of the zoonotic disease q fever world-wide, each year. the virulent phase i and avirulent phase ii variants of the nine mile rsa 493 and 439 strains of c. burnetii were propagated in embryonated hen eggs and then purified by centrifugation through renografin gradients. total protein fractions were isolated from each phase and subjected to analysis by one-dimensional electrophoresis plus tandem mass spectrometry. ...	2011	21616182
frequency of seropositivity for coxiella burnetii immunoglobulins in livestock and abattoir workers in trinidad.	coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic, rickettsial pathogen which causes mild and severe diseases often referred to as q-fever in humans, particularly those occupationally exposed. this study determined the seropositivity for coxiella burnetii igm immunoglobulins using the enzyme immunoassay (eia) in livestock and abattoir workers in trinidad and related to selected personal characteristics to seroprevalence. overall, of the 455 humans whose serum samples were tested, 20 (4.4%) were seropositive for c ...	2011	21617835
endocarditis of bovine jugular vein conduit due to q fever.	contegra (medtronic, minneapolis, mn) conduits are routinely used in cases of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction during congenital heart surgery. we report two cases of q fever endocarditis involving contegra conduits. surgical treatment and distinct aspects of both unusual cases are described.	2011	21620004
vascular complications of q-fever infections.	introduction: coxiella burnetii is a strict intracellular pathogen causing q fever, a worldwide zoonosis with an extensive animal reservoir. chronic q fever infections are frequently associated with cardiovascular complications, mainly endocarditis, and also aortic aneurysms and vascular-graft infection. we present four cases of chronic q fever infections and associated vascular complications, and review the literature to identify major symptoms and assess the prevalence, treatment and outcome i ...	2011	21622013
serological survey of five zoonoses, scrub typhus, japanese spotted fever, tularemia, lyme disease, and q fever, in feral raccoons (procyon lotor) in japan.	we investigated the seroprevalence of five tick- or mite-borne zoonoses, scrub typhus (orientia tsutsugamushi), japanese spotted fever (rickettsia japonica), tularemia (francisella tularensis), lyme disease (borrelia afzelii and borrelia garinii), and q fever (coxiella burnetii), in feral raccoons (procyon lotor) captured in hokkaido and kanagawa prefectures in japan. of the 559 raccoons captured in hokkaido, 8 (1.4%), 3 (0.5%), 1 (0.2%), and 1 (0.2%) carried antibodies against o. tsutsugamushi ...	2011	20553108
hijacked phagosomes and leukocyte activation: an intimate relationship.	intracellular pathogens have developed different strategies to survive within host cells. for example, these pathogens might interfere with the biogenesis of phagolysosomes, thereby forming replicative vacuoles. although the complex mechanisms used by pathogens to hijack the biogenesis of phagolysosomes have been elucidated in naive leukocytes, the role of leukocyte activation in this process has not yet been investigated. leukocytes are known to be activated by cytokines, and several reports ha ...	2011	20720162
a unique coxiella burnetii lipoprotein involved in metal binding (limb).	coxiella burnetii is the bacterial agent of q fever in humans. here, we describe a unique, ∼7.2&emsp14;kda, surface-exposed lipoprotein involved in metal binding which we have termed limb. limb was initially identified as a potential metal-binding protein on far-western (fw) blots containing whole-cell lysate proteins when probed with nickel-coated horseradish peroxidase (ni-hrp) and developed with a chemiluminescent hrp substrate. the corresponding identity of limb as cbu1224a was established b ...	2011	21212117
the coxiella burnetii cryptic plasmid is enriched in genes encoding type iv secretion system substrates.	the intracellular bacterial pathogen coxiella burnetii directs biogenesis of a phagolysosome-like parasitophorous vacuole (pv), in which it replicates. the organism encodes a dot/icm type iv secretion system (t4ss) predicted to deliver to the host cytosol effector proteins that mediate pv formation and other cellular events. all c. burnetii isolates carry a large, autonomously replicating plasmid or have chromosomally integrated plasmid-like sequences (ips), suggesting that plasmid and ips genes ...	2011	21216993
interlaboratory comparison of real-time polymerase chain reaction methods to detect coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of q fever.	the bacterium coxiella burnetii, which has a wide host range, causes q fever. infection with c. burnetii can cause abortions, stillbirth, and the delivery of weak offspring in ruminants. coxiella burnetii infection is zoonotic, and in human beings it can cause chronic, potentially fatal disease. real-time polymerase chain reaction (pcr) is increasingly being used to detect the organism and to aid in diagnosis both in human and animal cases. many different real-time pcr methods, which target diff ...	2011	21217038
a case of multifocal chronic q fever osteomyelitis.	chronic q fever can be difficult to diagnose because of a variety of non-specific clinical presentations. chronic q fever osteoarticular infections have rarely been reported in the literature. we describe here an unusual multifocal osteomyelitis due to coxiella burnetii in an adult.	2011	21221701
measuring antibody levels in bulk-tank milk as an epidemiological tool to search for the status of coxiella burnetii in dairy sheep.	summarypooling samples may provide a valuable alternative to individual testing for pathogen surveillance purposes. we studied the reliability of measuring the level of antibodies against coxiella burnetii in bulk-tank milk (btm) to estimate the seroprevalence of c. burnetii in dairy sheep in 34 flocks. we then estimated the seroprevalence of c. burnetii in 154 dairy sheep flocks according to the level of antibodies in btm. we tested for the accuracy of our estimation at the population level by ...	2011	21251348
disseminated intravascular coagulation as the laboratory hallmark of acute q fever.	a 37-y-old white male presented with high fever, constitutional symptoms, mild meningeal and pulmonary involvement. laboratory investigation revealed thrombocytopenia and excessive prolongation of coagulation times (international normalized ratio-inr- up to 6) requiring transfusion with 14 units of fresh frozen plasma. serology established acute coxiella burnetti infection. patient recovered on levofloxacin.	2011	21251568
growth of coxiella burnetii in the ixodes scapularis-derived ide8 tick cell line.	q fever, a zoonotic disease, is caused by a gram-negative intracellular bacterium, coxiella burnetii. although normally transmitted during exposure to infectious aerosols, c. burnetii is also found in arthropod vectors. in the environment, ticks are thought to play a crucial role in bacterial maintenance and transmission by infecting various mammalian species. however, the nature of the pathogen-tick relationship is not well defined. to determine c. burnetii's interactions with a cultured tick c ...	2011	21254834
prevalence of coxiella burnetii infection in dutch dairy herds based on testing bulk tank milk and individual samples by pcr and elisa.	a study using an elisa and a real-time pcr assay based on the detection of the repetitive transposon-like gene of coxiella burnetii revealed that infection with the bacterium was widespread among dutch dairy herds, with antibodies detected in bulk tank milk (btm) from 268 of 341 herds (78.6 per cent) and bacterial dna detected in 193 of 341 herds (56.6 per cent). the btm samples were taken in november and december 2007. serological and molecular studies in young and adult cattle selected from 10 ...	2011	21257587
single-nucleotide-polymorphism genotyping of coxiella burnetii during a q fever outbreak in the netherlands.	coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of q fever. currently, the netherlands is facing the largest q fever epidemic ever, with almost 4,000 notified human cases. although the presence of a hypervirulent strain is hypothesized, epidemiological evidence, such as the animal reservoir(s) and genotype of the c. burnetii strain(s) involved, is still lacking. we developed a single-nucleotide-polymorphism (snp) genotyping assay directly applicable to clinical samples. ten discriminatory snps were c ...	2011	21257816
follow-up of 686 patients with acute q fever and detection of chronic infection.	background. recent outbreaks in the netherlands allowed for laboratory follow-up of a large series of patients with acute q fever and for evaluation of test algorithms to detect chronic q fever, a condition with considerable morbidity and mortality. methods. for 686 patients with acute q fever, igg antibodies to coxiella burnetii were determined using an immunofluorescence assay at 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up. polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was performed after 12 months and on earlier seru ...	2011	21628483
the coxiella burnetii dot/icm system delivers a unique repertoire of type iv effectors into host cells and is required for intracellular replication.	coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of human q fever, is an intracellular pathogen that replicates in an acidified vacuole derived from the host lysosomal network. this pathogen encodes a dot/icm type iv secretion system that delivers bacterial proteins called effectors to the host cytosol. to identify new effector proteins, the functionally analogous legionella pneumophila dot/icm system was used in a genetic screen to identify fragments of c. burnetii genomic dna that when fused to an adeny ...	2011	21637816
life on the outside: the rescue of coxiella burnetii from its host cell.	for over seven decades, coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of human q fever, has been considered a prototypical obligate intracellular bacterium that relies exclusively on a eukaryotic cell for growth. intracellularly, the organism prospers in an acidified, phagolysosomelike vacuole. c. burnetii has evolved to replicate in this harsh compartment by a mechanism involving acid activation of metabolism. the ∼2 mb genome of c. burnetii is about twice the size of genomes of most obligate intracel ...	2011	21639786