| 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 |
| host kinase activity is required for coxiella burnetii parasitophorous vacuole formation. | coxiella burnetii is the etiologic agent of human q fever and targets alveolar phagocytic cells in vivo wherein the pathogen generates a phagolysosome-like parasitophorous vacuole (pv) for replication. c. burnetii displays a prolonged growth cycle, making pv maintenance critical for bacterial survival. previous studies showed that c. burnetii mediates activation of eukaryotic kinases to inhibit cell death, indicating the importance of host signaling during infection. in the current study, we exa ... | 2010 | 21772829 |
| seroprevalence of seven zoonotic infections in nunavik, quebec (canada). | in nunavik, common practices and food habits such as consumption of raw meat and untreated water place the inuit at risk for contracting zoonotic diseases. the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of seven zoonotic infections among the permanent residents of nunavik. the study was conducted in the fall 2004 as part of the nunavik health survey. blood samples from adults aged 18-74ôçâyears (nôçâ=ôçâ917) were collected and analysed for the presence of antibodies against trichinell ... | 2011 | 21824376 |
| Systemic Coxiella-like Infection With Myocarditis and Hepatitis in an Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus). | A multiorgan infection with a Coxiella-like organism was determined to be the cause of death of a female eclectus parrot(Eclectus roratus). The diagnosis was based on gross lesions, histopathology, Gimenez and Gram special stains, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of a bacterial 16s rRNA gene fragment isolated from hepatic and cardiac tissue. Gross postmortem examination revealed multifocal to coalescing foci of hepatic necrosis ... | 2011 | 21712515 |
| profiling the humoral immune response of acute and chronic q fever by protein microarray. | antigen profiling using comprehensive protein microarrays is a powerful tool for characterizing the humoral immune response to infectious pathogens. coxiella burnetii is a cdc category b bioterrorist infectious agent with worldwide distribution. in order to assess the antibody repertoire of acute and chronic q fever patients we have constructed a protein microarray containing 93% of the proteome of coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of q fever. here we report the profile of the igg and igm s ... | 2011 | 21817167 |
| development of a method for detecting coxiella burnetii in cheese samples. | coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of q fever, and the main route of infection in humans is inhalation of contaminated aerosols. although oral transmission by contaminated raw milk or dairy products is also a possible route of human infection, there have been few studies investigating the presence of c. burnetii in dairy products. we developed a new method of extracting dna from cheese and detecting c. burnetii dna in cheese samples with a nested pcr assay. the limit of detection was 6.0 × ... | 2011 | 21979453 |
| Rapid typing of Coxiella burnetii. | Coxiella burnetii has the potential to cause serious disease and is highly prevalent in the environment. Despite this, epidemiological data are sparse and isolate collections are typically small, rare, and difficult to share among laboratories as this pathogen is governed by select agent rules and fastidious to culture. With the advent of whole genome sequencing, some of this knowledge gap has been overcome by the development of genotyping schemes, however many of these methods are cumbersome an ... | 2011 | 22073151 |
| Coxiella burnetii Infection in Roe Deer during Q Fever Epidemic, the Netherlands. | TO THE EDITOR: A Q fever epidemic among humans started in the Netherlands in 2007 and peaked in 2009 (1). Epidemiologic evidence linked the epidemic to abortions and deliveries among Coxiella burnetii-infected dairy goats and dairy sheep (1,2). However, questions arose about whether C. burnetii infection in free-living wildlife might be another source of Q fever in humans. C. burnetii has a wide host range (3), but to our knowledge no studies had addressed its occurrence in nondomestic animals i ... | 2011 | 22172398 |
| Bartonella quintana in Ethiopian lice. | Head and clothing lice from Jimma, Ethiopia were investigated for pathogenic bacteria. Genomic DNA from pools of lice was subjected to PCR analysis for Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp. Coxiella burnetii, Rickettsia spp. and Yersinia pestis. All 102 lice pools were negative for the afore mentioned pathogens, with the exception of Bartonella species found among 6 of 65 (9.2%) head lice pools and1 of 33 clothing lice pools. Identification was achieved by sequencing the ribosomal intragenic transcribe ... | 2011 | 22019400 |
| Peripheral blood gene expression in postinfective fatigue syndrome following from three different triggering infections. | Several infections trigger postinfective fatigue syndromes, which share key illness characteristics with each other and with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Previous cross-sectional case-control studies of CFS have suggested that unique gene expression signatures are evident in peripheral blood samples. | 2011 | 21964398 |
| Coxiella burnetii in Western Barred Bandicoots (Perameles bougainville) from Bernier and Dorre Islands in Western Australia. | The aim of this work is to investigate the presence of Coxiella burnetii in Perameles bougainville and their ticks on two islands off Western Australia. Haemaphysalis humerosa, Haemaphysalis ratti, and Haemaphysalis lagostrophi were collected from P. bougainville on Bernier and Dorre Islands from 2005 to 2007; only Amblyomma limbatum was collected from humans over the same interval. One of 13 tick samples and 1 of 12 P. bougainville fecal samples were positive for C. burnetii DNA using quantitat ... | 2011 | 22167449 |
| developing a new clinical tool for diagnosing chronic q fever: the coxiella elispot. | definitively establishing a clinical diagnosis of chronic q fever remains challenging, as the diagnostic performance of both conventional serological tests and pcr is limited. given the importance of an early diagnosis of chronic q fever, there is a need for a reliable diagnostic test. we developed an enzyme-linked immunospot assay to measure coxiella burnetii (c. burnetii)-specific t-cell responses (coxiella elispot) to both phase i and phase ii antigens and tested convalescent q fever patients ... | 2011 | 22067057 |
| Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) in Western Australia. | We investigated the role of the western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) in the maintenance and transmission of Coxiella burnetii in Western Australia. Sera from 1,017 kangaroos were tested using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of C. burnetii antibodies. The overall antibody prevalence across 12 locations throughout mid- to southwestern Western Australia was 24.1% (95% CI: 21.6-26.8). Feces from 990 of the same animals were tested using PCR to identify ... | 2011 | 22102652 |
| association between antibodies to coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk and perinatal mortality of danish dairy calves. | coxiella burnetii is a well-known cause of placentitis and subsequent abortion in ruminants, but there are no reports on the relationship with perinatal mortality. the study was performed to determine the influence of level and change of bulk tank milk (btm) antibodies to c. burnetii on two outcomes associated with parturition in cattle: a) stillbirth; and b) stillbirth and neonatal mortality combined (perinatal death). | 2011 | 22136406 |
| serological evidence of coxiella burnetii exposure in native marsupials and introduced animals in queensland, australia. | summarythe state of queensland has the highest incidence of q fever in australia. in recent years, there has been an increase in human cases where no contacts with the typical reservoir animals or occupations were reported. the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of coxiella burnetii in australian native animals and introduced animals in northern and southeastern queensland. australian native marsupials sampled included the brushtail possum (trichosurus vulpecula) and common no ... | 2011 | 21892986 |
| assessment of vaccination by a phase i coxiella burnetii inactivated vaccine in goat herds in clinical q fever situation. | a study was carried out in order to assess the efficacy of vaccination, using a phase i coxiella burnetii inactivated vaccine (coxevac(®), ceva), within three goat herds experiencing q fever abortions waves. the stratification of the population (n=905) was based on parity and on infection status related to both serological and qpcr vaginal shedding results. control (n=443) and vaccinated (n=462) groups were established in each farm. vaccination was administered to does before mating and to kids ... | 2011 | 22066485 |
| Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in sheep and goats in the Republic of Ireland. | | 2011 | 21881024 |
| Inhibition of fibroblast apoptosis by Borrelia afzelii, Coxiella burnetii and Bartonella henselae. | Apoptosis is a genetically controlled mechanism of cell death involved in the regulation of tissue homeostasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of Borrelia afzelii, Coxiella burnetii, and Bartonella henselae bacteria on apoptosis measured as the level of caspase 3 activity in human fibroblast cells HEL-299. Our findings show that C. burnetii bacteria may inhibit the process of apoptosis in the host cells for a long time. This can permit intracellular survival in the host a ... | 2011 | 22184936 |
| [Epidemiological enquiries in two Q fever outbreaks in a community of Baden-Württemberg during 2008 and 2009]. | In 2008 and 2009, two consecutive outbreaks of Q fever in humans were recorded in the district of Freudenstadt, northern Black Forrest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In 2008, a total of 41 persons from a single local community fell ill and were found infected with Coxiella burnetii. Although comprehensive diagnostic and epidemiological outbreak investigations were conducted and control measures taken which included vaccination of ruminants at risk in three parts of the affected community, re-occur ... | 2011 | 21848037 |
| Protein candidates for Q fever serodiagnosis. | The discriminatory diagnosis of Q fever remains difficult because of the unspecific clinical presentations of the disease. Additionally, the diagnosis is often delayed because serodiagnosis is not sensitive enough in the early stages of the disease when the immune response is not yet efficient. Similarly, the diagnosis of Q fever endocarditis can only be performed in approximately 35%, mainly via serology, which was a criterion postulated by Duke. Owing to the discriminatory diagnosis of Q fever ... | 2011 | 22098576 |
| Evaluation of clinical specimens for Rickettsia, Bartonella, Borrelia, Coxiella, Anaplasma, Franciscella and Diplorickettsia positivity using serological and molecular biology methods. | We monitored clinical samples from patients of different age groups from selected regions in Slovakia. Overall seroprevalence evaluated by immunofluorescence (IFA) using nine Bartonella, two Borrelia, six rickettsial (spotted fever and typhus group), two Coxiella, and one human granulocytic ehrlichiosis Anaplasma, Franciscella tularensis and Diplorickettsia massiliensis antigens, in rural and city populations of Slovak Republic, was found to be 32% positive for spotted fever group rickettsiae. O ... | 2011 | 22098390 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Contemporary unconventional clinical use of co-trimoxazole. | Clin Microbiol Infect 2012; 18: 8-17 ABSTRACT: In the late 1960s, the combination of trimethoprim and sulphamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) was introduced into clinical practice and used to treat many infectious diseases, such as urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, sexually transmitted diseases, Gram-negative sepsis, enteric infections and typhoid fever. Subsequently, co-trimoxazole was reported to be effective against numerous bacterial, fungal and protozoal pathogens, including Noca ... | 2012 | 21851485 |
| apparent prevalence of antibodies to coxiella burnetii (q fever) in bulk tank milk from dairy herds in southern belgium. | in 2006, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in 206 herds in southern belgium to estimate the proportion of herds with q fever-seropositive bulk tank milk (btm), i.e. herds with an intra-herd seroprevalence >10%. of the tested herds, 119 (57.8%; 95% ci: 51.1-64.4%) were seropositive. most had a low antibody titre. of these herds, 50 were randomly subjected to a real time coxiella burnetii pcr analysis. the proportion of herds excreting coxiella in btm was 30.0% with only 2.0% of herds havin ... | 2011 | 21962829 |
| detecting and measuring small numbers of viable coxiella burnetii. | coxiella burnetii is an acidophilic, intracellular bacterium that causes the human disease q fever. in some studies, it is important to distinguish between viable and nonviable c. burnetii. we compared four methods for detecting and measuring viable c. burnetii in biological samples as follows: growth in two different cell culture lines, infection of severe combined immunodeficient (scid) mice (leading to death) and infection of scid mice with detection of c. burnetii in their spleen (after euth ... | 2011 | 22092959 |
| Genotypic diversity of Coxiella burnetii in the 2007-2010 Q fever outbreak episodes in The Netherlands. | The genotypic diversity of C. burnetii in clinical samples obtained from the Dutch Q fever outbreak episodes of 2007 - 2010 was determined by using a 6-locus MLVA panel. The results are consistent with the introduction of one founder genotype that is gradually diversifying over time whilst spreading over the country. | 2011 | 22189106 |
| Coxiella burnetii, the Agent of Q Fever, in Domestic Sheep Flocks from Wyoming, United States. | Abstract Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, is an intracellular bacterial pathogen. It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution. We conducted a serological survey of domestic sheep herds for infections with C. burnetii in Wyoming following reports of abortion and open ewes. Based on the serologic evidence, there was no link between reproductive problems and exposure to C. burnetii. However, the overall prevalence of C. burnetii in WY sheep was 7%, which indicates that the agent is present ... | 2011 | 22022809 |
| proximity to goat farms and coxiella burnetii seroprevalence among pregnant women. | during 2007-2009, we tested serum samples from 2,004 pregnant women living in an area of high q fever incidence in the netherlands. results confirmed that presence of antibodies against coxiella burnetii is related to proximity to infected dairy goat farms. pregnant women and patients with certain cardiovascular conditions should avoid these farms. | 2011 | 22172140 |
| q fever diagnosis in domestic ruminants: comparison between complement fixation and commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. | q fever is an important zoonotic disease caused by infection with the bacterium coxiella burnetii. veterinary diagnostic laboratories, including the veterinary laboratories agency (vla) in england and wales, have traditionally relied on the complement fixation test (cft) for serological diagnosis. however, q fever has assumed greater significance in recent years following several large human outbreaks linked to exposure to infected ruminants and it is essential that more reliable tests are intro ... | 2011 | 21908348 |
| Serological screening for Coxiella burnetii infection and related reproductive performance in high producing dairy cows. | The possible relationship between Coxiella-seropositivity and the reproductive performance of cows during the previous year to the serological screening was examined in three high producing dairy herds. The herds had a history of subfertility (<25% of pregnancies for the total number of AI), abortion (>18% abortions) and a positive polymerase chain reaction test for Coxiella burnetii in the bulk tank milk with an excretion higher than 10(4)Coxiella /ml for all three herds. Antibodies against C. ... | 2011 | 21862091 |
| Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii infections in aborted fetuses and stillborn calves. | Coxiella burnetii infections are mostly subclinical in cattle, but can occasionally be associated with abortion. In the present study, 100 aborted fetuses or stillborn calves that were submitted for postmortem examination between September 2007 and March 2008 were examined for infection with C burnetii. Samples of both pooled fetal tissues and placental cotyledon were tested using a real-time PCR assay. In addition, the sections of placental cotyledon were examined using immunohistochemistry (IH ... | 2011 | 22186379 |
| A Q fever case mimicking crimean-congo haemorrhagic fever. | Coxiella burnetii is the bacterium that causes Q fever. Human infection is mainly transmitted from cattle, goats and sheep. The disease is usually self-limited. Pneumonia and hepatitis are the most common clinical manifestations. In this study, we present a case of Q fever from the western part of Turkey mimicking Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in terms of clinical and laboratory findings. | 2011 | 22120806 |
| In vitro activity of pentamidine against Tropheryma whipplei. | Pentamidine is a group I intron splice inhibitor used as a chemotherapeutic agent to treat parasitic infections. It was recently found to be efficient intracellularly against Coxiella burnetii, the bacterial agent of Q fever. This in vitro activity was linked to the presence of self-splicing group I introns that disrupt the 23S rRNA of C. burnetii. However, there are several indications that pentamidine may have a wider range of antibacterial activity. The aim of this study was to determine the ... | 2011 | 22005072 |
| q fever: a new ocular manifestation. | q fever is a zoonosis caused by coxiella burnetii. ocular manifestations are rare in this infection. we describe the case of a man complaining of an intense retro-orbital headache, fever, arthralgia, and bilateral loss of vision, who showed an anterior uveitis accompanied by exudative bilateral inferior retinal detachment and optic disk edema. at the beginning, a vogt-koyanagi-harada (vkh) syndrome was suspected, but the patient was diagnosed with q fever and treatment with doxycycline was initi ... | 2011 | 21966200 |
| Intracellular bacteria and adverse pregnancy outcomes. | This review considers the role of intracellular bacteria in adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as miscarriage, stillbirths, and preterm labour. The cause of miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm labour often remains unexplained. Intracellular bacteria that grow either poorly or not at all on media used routinely to detect human pathogens could be the aetiological agents of these obstetric conditions. For example, Listeria monocytogenes and Coxiella burnetti are intracellular bacteria that have a pre ... | 2011 | 21884294 |
| SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND: A CASE OF Q FEVER IN AN ELDERLY WOMAN. | This case report concerns an elderly woman referred with a 6-month history of rising and falling fever in the range of 38-40°C. She was examined numerous times by her family doctor and given various antibiotic treatments before being hospitalization at our geriatric unit. Laboratory tests and microbiological studies led to a diagnosis of chronic Q fever, a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, a Gram-negative obligate intracellular coccobacillus; humans usually become infected by inhaling infect ... | 2011 | 22170110 |
| relationship between the level of antibodies in bulk tank milk and the within-herd seroprevalence of coxiella burnetii in cows. | summarythe relationship between the level of antibodies in bulk tank milk (btm) and the within-herd seroprevalence of coxiella burnetii in cows was assessed. blood from milking cows and btm were sampled in 55 infected herds and tested using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) kits. the relationship between antibody levels and whp, which was quantified using a general linear model, was only moderate (r2=0·15). nevertheless, the lowest antibody level in btm was associated with the ... | 2011 | 22074814 |
| 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 |
| serological survey of q fever in crete, southern greece. | coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of q fever, is an obligatory intracellular bacterium with worldwide distribution. the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of c. burnetii phase ii antibodies in two different groups (high and low risk) of healthy human population and investigate the epidemiological characteristics of the infection in the island of crete (southern greece). collection and testing by ifa of 493 sample sera for igg and igm antibodies against c. bumetii phase ii ant ... | 2012 | 22261267 |
| immuno-pcr for the early serological diagnosis of acute infectious diseases: the q fever paradigm. | to reduce the delay in diagnosis of q fever, we have adapted the ultrasensitive immuno-pcr method for the detection of phase ii igm anti-coxiella burnetii. we compared its performance to elisa, ifa and pcr using 31 acute q fever sera and 50 control sera. the best sensitivity was obtained by ipcr (27 out of 31) followed by pcr (18 out of 31), elisa (12 out of 31) and ifa (10 out of 31). a specificity of 92% was found by ipcr (3 false positive out of 40), 92% for elisa (3 false positive out of 40) ... | 2012 | 22231499 |
| a serologic survey for coxiella burnetii in semi-wild ungulates in the emirate of dubai, united arab emirates. | q fever, a highly infectious zoonotic disease caused by coxiella burnetii, has not been officially reported in the united arab emirates (uae). this first serosurvey of a large group of semi-free-ranging animals in the uae indicates that a wide range of ungulates have been exposed c. burnettii in the region. | 2012 | 22247396 |