RESEARCH PAPER
Analysis of seroprevalence against Coxiella burnetii in a sample of farm workers in Western Sicily
,
 
,
 
,
 
,
 
,
 
,
 
,
 
 
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care ‘G. D’Alessandro’, Occupational Health Section, University of Palermo, Italy
 
2
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Palermo, Italy
 
3
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care ‘G. D’Alessandro’, Hygiene Section, University of Palermo, Italy
 
 
Corresponding author
MG Verso   

Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care ‘G. D’Alessandro’, Occupational Health Section, University of Palermo, Italy
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2016;23(1):71-74
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Introduction and objective:
Little is known about the development of chronic Q fever caused by Coxiella burnetii in occupational risk groups and in the general population in Italy, as well as in many countries in the world. The aim of this study was to highlight the presence of the infection in a sample of workers operating outdoors (but not directly in contact with animals), in three provinces of western Sicily, in order to detect the human seroprevalence and compare the obtained data with those found in animals raised in the same territory.

Material and Methods:
The study included 126 generic seasonal agricultural workers (labourers), 84 male and 42 female; none of whom were aware of any previous contact with Coxiella burnetii. Their immunologic status against Coxiella burnetii[ was tested through research and titration of both phases I and II specific antibodies (IgG) with an indirect immunofluorescence assay, using anti-antibodies labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate. All data were statistically analyzed, comparing all positive results from the three provinces through variance analysis, and then comparing human results with those obtained from animals raised in the considered areas, specifically, 1,511 cows, 46 of which were found positive (3.04%), and 3,391 sheep, 548 of which were found positive (16.16%).

Results:
Anti-Coxiella antibodies were found in nine of 42 females sampled (21.4%; 95%CI=[9.0–33.8]) and 21 of 84 males sampled (25.0%; 95%CI=[15.7–34.3]). 60% (18 of 30; 95%CI=[42.5–77.5]) of seropositive samples were positive either for Phase I antigen or for both Phase I and II antigens, representing cases of chronic infection. Applying Spearman’s rank correlation, the percentage of seropositive humans was significantly correlated with that observed for sheep (r=1.00; p<0.001), but not for cows (r=-0.5; p=0.667).

Conclusions:
The results obtained, although based on a small sample, suggest that the disease is present in the territory of Western Sicily, both in animals and in humans. A closer collaboration between doctors and veterinarians is therefore necessary to fight against the spread of the infection.

 
REFERENCES (25)
1.
Borriello G, Iovane G, Galero G. La febbre Q negli animali domestici. Large Animal Rev. 2010; 16: 273–283.
 
2.
SCIENTIFIC REPORT OF EFSA AND ECDC. The European Union Summary Report on Trends and Sources of Zoonoses, Zoonotic Agents and Food-borne Outbreaks in 2012. EFSA Journal 2014; 12(2): 3547.
 
3.
Schimmer B, Schotten N, van Engelen E, Hautvast JL, Schneeberger PM, van Duijnhoven YT. Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence and risk for humans on dairy cattle farms, the Netherlands, 2010–2011. Emerg Infect Dis. 2014; 20(3): 417–25.
 
4.
Khalili M, Mosavi M, Diali HG, Mirza HN. Serologic survey for Coxiella burnetii phase I II antibodies among slaughterhouse workers in Kerman, southeast of Iran. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2014; 4(Suppl 1): S209–12.
 
5.
O’Neill TJ, Sargeant JM, Poljak Z. The effectiveness of Coxiella burnetii vaccines in occupationally exposed populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Zoonoses Public Health. 2014; 61(2): 81–96.
 
6.
Dorko E, Rimárová K, Pilipcinec E. Influence of the environment and occupational exposure on the occurrence of Q fever. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2012; 20(3): 208–14.
 
7.
Whelan J, Schimmer B, Schneeberger P, Meekelenkamp J, Ijff A, van der Hoek W et al. Q fever among culling workers, the Netherlands, 2009–2010. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011; 17(9): 1719–23.
 
8.
Walsh MG. Assessing Q fever in a representative sample from the United States population: identification of a potential occupational hazard. Epidemiol Infect. 2012; 140(1): 42–6.
 
9.
Monno R, Fumarola L, Trerotoli P, Cavone D, Giannelli G, Rizzo C, et al. Seroprevalence of Q fever, brucellosis and leptospirosis in farmers and agricultural workers in Bari, Southern Italy. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2009; 16(2): 205–9.
 
10.
Wilson LE, Couper S, Prempeh H, Young D, Pollock KG, Stewart WC et al. Investigation of a Q fever outbreak in a Scottish co-located slaughterhouse and cutting plant. Zoonoses Public Health. 2010; 57(7–8): 493–8.
 
11.
Gidding HF, Wallace C, Lawrence GL, McIntyre PB. Australia’s national Q fever vaccination program. Vaccine. 2009; 23;27(14): 2037–41.
 
12.
Dorko E, Kalinova Z, Weissova T, Pilipcinec E. Seroprevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii among employees of the Veterinary University in Kosice, eastern Slovakia. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2008; 15(1): 119–24.
 
13.
de los Ríos-Martín R, Sanz-Moreno JC, Martín-Martínez F, Tébar-Betegón MA, Cortés-García M, Escudero-Nieto R. Q fever outbreak in an urban area following a school-farm visit. Med Clin (Barc). 2006; 126(15): 573–5.
 
14.
Milazzo A, Featherstone KB, Hall RG. Q fever vaccine uptake in South Australian meat processors prior to the introduction of the National Q Fever Management Program. Commun Dis Intell Q Rep. 2005; 29(4): 400–6.
 
15.
Deutz A, Fuchs K, Nowotny N, Auer H, Schuller W, Stünzner D et al. Sero-epidemiological studies of zoonotic infections in hunters-comparative analysis with veterinarians, farmers, and abattoir work. Wien Klin Wochenschr. 2003; 115 Suppl 3: 61–7.
 
16.
Reid A, Malone J. Q fever in Ireland. A seroprevalence study of exposure to Coxiella burnettii among Department of Agriculture workers. Occup Med (Lond). 2004; 54(8): 544–7.
 
17.
Abe T, Yamaki K, Hayakawa T, Fukuda H, Ito Y, Kume H et al. A seroepidemiological study of the risks of Q fever infection in Japanese veterinarians Eur J Epidemiol. 2001; 17(11): 1029–32.
 
18.
Dahlgren FS, McQuiston JH, Massung RF, Anderson AD. Q Fever in the United States: summary of case reports from two national surveillance systems, 2000–2012. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2015; 92(2): 247–55.
 
19.
Gyuranecz M, Sulyok K, Balla E, Mag T, Balazs A, Simor Z et al. Q fever epidemic in Hungary, April to July 2013. Available on line at: Euro Surveill. 2014; 19(30).
 
20.
Serrano-Pérez B, Almería S, Tutusaus J, Jado I, Anda P, Monleón E, et al. Coxiella burnetii total immunoglobulin G, phase I and phase II immunoglobulin G antibodies, and bacterial shedding in young dams in persistently infected dairy herds. J Vet Diagn Invest. 2015; pii: 1040638715571993. [Epub ahead of print].
 
21.
R Guatteo, H Seegers, AF Taurel, A Joly, F Beaudeau. Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii infection in domestic ruminants: A critical review. Vet Microbiol. 2011; 149(1–2): 1–16.
 
22.
Epicentro: Il portale dell’epidemiologia per la sanità pubblica, a cura del Centro Nazionale di Epidemiologia, Sorveglianza e Promozione della Salute. Available on line at: http://www.epicentro.iss.it/in....
 
23.
Mirri A. Q fever in animals in Sicily and allergic diagnosis of Q fever in animals. Ann Sanita Pubblica. 1995; 11(3): 917–26.
 
24.
Tringali G, Mansueto S. Epidemiology of Q fever in Italy and in other Mediterranean countries. Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A. 1987; 267(1): 20–5.
 
25.
Wielders CC, Boerman AW, Schimmer B, van den Brom R, Notermans DW, van der Hoek W et al. Persistent high IgG phase I antibody levels against Coxiella burnetii among veterinarians compared to patients previously diagnosed with acute Q fever after three years of follow-up. Available on line at: PLoS One. 2015; 10(1): e0116937. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116937. eCollection 2015.
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top