RESEARCH PAPER
Potential association between Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence and selected risk factors among veterinary students in Slovakia.
1
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of P. J. Šafárik, Košice, Slovak Republic
2
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Košice, Slovak Republic
3
Department of Hygiene and Technology Milk, University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, Košice, Slovak Republic
4
Department of Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of P. J. Šafárik, Košice, Slovak Republic
5
Department of Surgery, Railway Hospital, Košice, Slovak Republic
Corresponding author
Erik Dorko
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Srobarova 2, 040 80 Kosice, Slovak Republic
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Srobarova 2, 040 80 Kosice, Slovak Republic
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2011;18(1):47–53
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The present study investigated the prevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii and the possible factors predisposing students of veterinary medicine to C. burnetii infections. IgG antibodies to phase I and phase II C. burnetii antigens were determined by ELISA. Out of 77 students examined, 13 were positive for phase I and 45 were positive for phase II antibodies. The titres determined were in the range of 1 : 100-1 : 3200. Some risk factors may have contributed to the high seroprevalence found in these subjects. For example, there were positive associations with rural life and exposure to the breeding of farm animals, and in addition, work in a dusty environment, such as on fields, gardens, stables and construction sites were also connected to high seroprevalence.
REFERENCES (34)
1.
Abe T, Yamaki K, Hayakawa T, Fukuda H, Ito Y, Kume H, Komiya T, Ishihara K, Hirai K: A seroepidemiological study of the risks of Q fever infection in Japanese veterinarians. Eur J Epidemiol 2001, 17, 1029–1032.
2.
Cetinkaya B, Kalender H, Ertas HB, Muz A, Arslan N, Ongor H, Gurcay M: Seroprevalence of coxiellosis in cattle, sheep and people in the east of Turkey. Vet Res 2000, 146, 131–136.
3.
Cisak E, Chmielewska-Badora J, Mackiewicz B, Dutkiewicz J: Prevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii among farming population in eastern Poland. Ann Agric Environ Med 2003, 10, 265–267.
4.
Dorko E, Kalinová Z, Pilipčinec E: Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies among students of the Faculty of Medicine in Košice (Slovakia). Folia Microbiol 2008, 53, 563–568.
5.
Dorko E, Kalinová Z, Weissová T, Pilipčinec E: Seroprevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii among employees of the Veterinary University in Košice, eastern Slovakia. Ann Agric Environ Med 2008, 15, 119–124.
6.
Dorko E, Pilipčinec E, Rimárová K, Kostovčíková J: Serological study of Q fever in sheep in the territory of eastern Slovakia. Ann Agric Environ Med 2010, 17, 323–325.
7.
Dorko E, Rimárová K, Pilipčinec E, Trávniček M: Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in wild ruminants in Kavečany zoo, Košice, eastern Slovakia. Ann Agric Environ Med 2009, 16, 321–324.
9.
Fenollar F, Thuny F, Xeridat B, Lepidi H, Raoult D: Endocarditis after acute Q fever in patients with previously undiagnosed valvulopathies. Clin Infect Dis 2006, 42, 818–821.
10.
Fretz R, Schaeren W, Tanner M, Baumgartner A: Screening of various foodstuffs for occurrence of Coxiella burnetii in Switzerland. Int J Food Microbiol 2007, 116, 414–418.
11.
Hartzell JD, Wood-Morris RN, Martinez LJ, Trotta RF: Q fever: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Mayo Clin Proc 2008, 83, 574– 579.
12.
Hatchette TF, Hudson RC, Schlech WF, Campbell NA, Hatchette JE, Ratnam S, Raoult D, Donovan C, Marrie TJ: Goat-associated Q fever: a new disease in Newfoundland. Emerg Infect Dis 2001, 7, 413–419.
13.
Hellenbrand W, Breuer T, Petersen L: Changing epidemiology of Q fever in Germany, 1947–1999. Emerg Infect Dis 2001, 7, 789–796.
14.
Kagawa FT, Wehner JH, Mohindra V: Q fever as a biological weapon. Semin Respir Infect 2003, 18, 183–195.
15.
Karakousis PC, Trucksis M, Dumler JS: Chronic Q fever in the United States. J Clin Microbiol 2006, 44, 2283–2287.
16.
Kazár J: Coxiella burnetii infection. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2005, 1063, 105–114.
17.
Kim SG, Kim EH, Lafferty CJ, Dubovi E: Coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk samples, United States. Emerg Infect Dis 2005, 11, 619–621.
18.
Kofteridis DP, Mazokopakis EE, Tselentis Y, Gikas A: Neurological complications of acute Q fever infection. Eur J Epidemiol 2004, 19, 1051–1054.
19.
Kováčová E, Kazár J: Q fever – still a query and underestimated infectious disease. Acta Virol 2002, 46, 193–210.
20.
Leone M, Honstettre A, Lepidi H, Capo C, Bayard F, Raoult D, Mego JL: Effect of sex on Coxiella burnetii infection: protective role of 17β-estradiol. J Infect Dis 2004, 189, 339–345.
21.
Maltezou HC, Constantopoulou I, Kallergi C, Vlahou V, Georgakopoulos D, Kafetzis DA, Raoult D: Q fever in children in Greece. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2004, 70, 540–544.
22.
Masala G, Porcu R, Sanna G, Chessa G, Cillara G, Chisu V, Tola S: Occurrence, distribution, and role in abortion of Coxiella burnetii in sheep and goats in Sardinia, Italy. Vet Microbiol 2004, 99, 301–305.
23.
McQuiston JH, Childs JE, Thompson HA: Q fever. JAVMA 2002, 221, 796–799.
24.
Monno R, Fumarola L, Trerotoli P, Cavone D, Giannelli G, Rizzo C, Ciceroni L, Musti M: Seroprevalence of Q fever, brucellosis and leptospirosis in farmers and agricultural workers in Bari, Southern Italy. Ann Agric Environ Med 2009, 16, 205–209.
25.
Parisi A, Fraccalvieri R, Cafi ero M, Miccolupo A, Padalino I, Montagna C, Capuano F, Sottili R: Diagnosis of Coxiella burnetii-related abortion in Italian domestic ruminants using single-tube nested PCR. Vet Microbiol 2006, 118, 101–106.
26.
Pascual-Velasco F, Montes M, Marimóm JM, Cilla G: High seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii infection in Eastern Cantabria (Spain). Int J Epidemiol 1998, 27, 142–145.
27.
Serbezov V, Kazar J, Novkirishki V, Gatcheva N, Kovacova E, Voyonova V: Q fever in Bulgaria and Slovakia. Emerg Infect Dis 1999, 5, 388–394.
28.
Setiyono A, Ogawa M, Cai Y, Shiga S, Kishimoto T, Kurane I: New criteria for immunofl uorescence assay for Q fever diagnosis in Japan. J Clin Microbiol 2005, 43, 5555–5559.
29.
Spyridaki I, Psaroulaki A, Loukaides F, Antoniou M, Hadjichristodolou C, Tselentis Y: Isolation of Coxiella burnetii by a centrifugation shell-vial assay from ticks collected in Cyprus: detection by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2002, 66, 86–90.
30.
Špitalská E, Kocianová E: Detection of Coxiella burnetii in ticks collected in Slovakia and Hungary. Eur J Epidemiol 2003, 18, 263–266.
31.
Špliňo M, Beran J, Chlíbek R: Q fever outbreak during the Czech army deployment in Bosnia. Milit Med 2003, 168, 840–842.
32.
Tissot-Dupont H, Amadei MA, Nezri M, Raoult D: Wind in November, Q fever in December. Emerg Infect Dis 2004, 10, 1264–1269.
33.
Tissot-Dupont H, Vaillant V, Rey S, Raoult D: Role of sex, age, previous valve lesion, and pregnancy in the clinical expression and outcome of Q fever after a large outbreak. Clin Infect Dis 2007, 44, 232–237.
34.
Valencia MCS, Rodriguez CO, Puñet OG, Giral IB: Q fever seroprevalence and associated risk factors among students from the veterinary school of Zaragoza, Spain. Eur J Epidemiol 2000, 16, 469–476.
Share
RELATED ARTICLE
Improvement of visual identification of the journal - task financed under the agreement No. 618/P-DUN/2019 by the Minister of Science and Higher Education allocated to the activities of disseminating science.
Generation of the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) - task financed under the agreement No. 618/P-DUN/2019 by the Minister of Science and Higher
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.