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PubMed1996

Comparison of immunofluorescence with enzyme immunoassay for detection of Q fever.

To evaluate enzyme immunoassay (EIA) as an alternative to indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to screen for Q fever in humans, 157 serum samples from patients suspected of having the disease were tested for immunoglobulin G antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. The agreement between the tests and the sensitivity of EIA were excellent (96.8% and 98.4%, respectively) when an IFA titer of > 1/160 was considered positive. All serum samples with a titer of > 1/320 in the IFA were also positive by the EIA. The EIA seems to be an acceptable alternative to IFA for screening for Q fever.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed2002

Q fever in humans and animals in the United States.

Coxiella burnetii, the etiologic agent of Q fever, is a worldwide zoonotic pathogen. Although Q fever is present in the United States, little is known about its current incidence or geographic distribution in either humans or animals. Published reports of national disease surveillance, individual cases, outbreak investigations, and serologic surveys were reviewed to better characterize Q fever epidemiology in the United States. In national disease surveillance reports for 1948-1986, 1,396 human cases were reported from almost every state. Among published individual case reports and outbreak investigations, occupational exposures (research facilities, farm environments, slaughterhouses) were commonly reported, and sheep were most frequently implicated as a possible source of infection. In studies conducted on specific groups, livestock handlers had a significantly higher prevalence of antibodies to C. burnetii than did persons with no known risk. Animal studies showed wide variation in seroprevalence, with goats having a significantly higher average seroprevalence (41.6%) than sheep (16.5%) or cattle (3.4%). Evidence of antibody to C. burnetii was reported among various wild-animal species, including coyotes, foxes, rodents, skunks, raccoons, rabbits, deer, and birds. This literature review suggests that C. burnetii is enzootic among ruminants and wild animals throughout much of the United States and that there is widespread human exposure to this pathogen. Sheep and goats appear to be a more important risk for human infection in the United States than cattle or wild animals, and research studies examining the natural history and transmission risk of Q fever in sheep and goats in this country should be encouraged.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Structural and functional characterization of the glycan antigens involved in immunobiology of Q fever.

Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever. The bacterium is extremely infectious and is classified as a category biological weapon. A lipopolysaccharide I (LPS I) belongs to the main components of the C. burnetii outer membrane and its structure-function relationship studies are of potential interest. Size-exclusion chromatography revealed noticeable differences in distribution and chemical composition of the O-polysaccharide chains in LPS I. It is likely that C. burnetii is capable of synthesizing chemically distinct subclasses of O-specific polysaccharide molecules differing in their antigenic reactivities. Methylation-linkage analysis indicated the presence of terminal virenose (Vir), dihydrohydroxystreptose (Strep), and mannose (Man), 4-substituted Vir, and 4-substituted Man in the O-specific chain. Serological data indicate that Vir and Strep might be involved in the immunobiology of Q fever.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Incidence of antibodies in raccoon dogs and deer inhabiting suburban areas].

We evaluated the incidence of antibodies against canine distemper (CD) virus, canine parvovirus, Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii), Aujeszky's disease virus, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus, Rickettsia tsutsugamushi, Rickettsia japonica, and Coxiella burnetii in 30 raccoon dogs and 5 deer captured in suburban areas in Kanagawa Prefecture. Among the raccoon dogs, anti-T. gondii antibody was detected in 1 animal (3.3%) and anti-CD virus antibody in 9 (30.0%). However, antibodies against the other pathogenic microorganisms were not detected in the raccoon dogs. The deer had none of the examined antibodies.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Antibody prevalence of eight ruminant infectious diseases in California mule and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

We tested 276 sera from 18 free-ranging black-tailed and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) herds in California (USA) collected from 1987 to 1991 in five biogeographical habitat types, for antibodies against eight infectious disease agents. Overall antibody prevalence was 56% for Anaplasma marginale, 31% for Borrelia burgdorferi, 16% for bluetongue virus serotype 17, 15% for epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus, 7% for Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii, respectively, and 0% for bovine leukosis virus and caprine arthritis/encephalitis virus, respectively. Antibodies against Lyme borreliosis and anaplasmosis were found in deer throughout California, but antibodies against bluetongue and epizootic hemorrhagic disease were most prevalent in deer from southern California.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1998

[The problem of Q fever in zoo ungulates].

Antibodies to Coxiella burnetii were recorded from approximately 13% of 469 ungulates which had been examined by means of micro-CFT (complement fixation test). Particular reference is made to a Q-fever situation in a musk ox herd. The results obtained from these investigations are likely to support the conclusion that latent Q-fever infection may be expected to occur in ungulates and to grow manifest in stress situations.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

[Acute pericarditis in Coxiella burnetti infection. Apropos of a case].

The authors report a case of pleuro-pericarditis during an acute Coxiella burnetii infection. They point out the rarity of this mode of presentation of acute Q fever and the diagnostic difficulties in the absence of focal pulmonary or hepatic signs. The diagnosis was confirmed by serological changes, essentially indirect immunofluorescence. They underline the importance of early diagnosis before the disease become chronic, exposing the patient to more serious cardiac disease which may be difficult to treat.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Characteristics of DNA restriction fragment length polymorphisms of C. burnetti strains, isolated from areas of Russia].

The structural heterogeneity in Coxiella burnetii chromosomal DNA isolated in the European part of Russia from people, agricultural animals, and ticks has been studied. It is compared with the one of the European strains Henzerling and M44, the only genetically characterized strains up to date. The digestion of the total DNA by the restriction endonucleases BamHI, PstI, XhoI resulted in obtaining two types of restriction patterns. The ones for Henzerling and M44 differed from the restriction patterns of the Russian strains, while the latter proved to be identical. The obtained data are in proof of genetical homogeneity in the Russian group of strains. The group is different from the genomic group including Henzerling and M44. The fact is in proof of the genetical heterogeneity of the European population of coxiellae.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Coevolution between nonhomologous but functionally similar proteins and their conserved partners in the Legionella pathogenesis system.

Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaires' disease, and other pathogenic Legionella species multiply inside protozoa and human macrophages by using the intracellular multiplication (Icm)/defect in organelle trafficking (Dot) type-IV secretion system. The IcmQ protein, which possesses pore-forming activity, and IcmR, which regulates the IcmQ activity, are two essential components of this system. Analysis of the region expected to contain these two genes from 29 Legionella species revealed the presence of a conserved icmQ gene and a large hypervariable gene family [functional homologues of icmR (fir) genes], located at the icmR genomic position. Although hypervariable in their sequence, the fir genes from all 29 Legionella species were found, together with their corresponding icmQ genes, to function similarly during infection. In addition, all FIR proteins we examined were found to interact with their corresponding IcmQ proteins. Detailed bioinformatic, biochemical, and genetic analysis of the interaction between the variable FIR proteins and conserved IcmQ proteins revealed that their interaction depends on a variable region located between two conserved domains of IcmQ. This variable region was also found to be critical for IcmQ self-interaction, and the region probably coevolved with the corresponding FIR protein. A FIR-IcmQ pair was also found in Coxiella burnetii, the only known non-Legionella bacterium that contains an Icm/Dot system, indicating the significance of this protein pair for the function of this type-IV secretion system. We hypothesize that this gene variation, which is probably mediated by positive selection, plays an important role in the evolutionary arms race between the protozoan host cell and the pathogen.

Acanthamoeba castellanii↗

PubMed1995

Q fever endocarditis.

Q fever is a widespread disease caused by the rickettsia Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacteria which man usually acquires through the inhalation of infected dust from subclinically infected animals. Q fever may be acute or chronic. The chronic form mostly presents as endocarditis, which is difficult to diagnose and may ultimately be fatal. Immunocompromised conditions and underlying heart disease are the most important risk factors to consider in cases of Q fever endocarditis. The ultimate diagnosis is based on specific diagnostic tests which include serology, demonstration of C. burnetii in valvular material, isolation of C. burnetii from blood and tissue samples by cell-culture techniques as well as amplification and detection of the bacterial DNA by polymerase chain reaction. Treatment of chronic Q fever endocarditis is complex and requires long-term antibiotic therapy, sometimes associated with heart valve replacement. At the present time neither an optimal antibiotic combination nor the duration of treatment is known and patients with Q fever endocarditis require prolonged follow-up because of the possibility of later relapses.

Coxiella burnetii↗

PubMed1996

Serological examination of human and animal sera from six countries of three continents for the presence of rickettsial antibodies.

Forty samples each of human sera collected in Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, El Salvador and Iran, and animal sera (goat and cattle from Sri Lanka and sheep from Tanzania) were examined for the presence of antibodies to typhus group (TG) rickettsiae, spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae and Coxiella burnetii by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) test. Of human sera tested, a higher proportion of positive sera were found with ELISA and IFA test for TG, SFG rickettsiae and C. burnetii in El Salvador (42.5 vs 20.0%, 40.0 vs 32.5%, and 27.5 vs 27.5%, respectively) and in Iran (25.0 vs 15.0%, 45.0 vs 27.5%, and 27.5 vs 25.0%, respectively), than in Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde, where they were less than 20.0% except for antibodies to SFG rickettsiae in Guinea Bissau (25.0% with ELISA and 20.0% with IFA test). While all animal sera were negative for the presence of antibodies to TG rickettsiae, a high proportion of sera from Sri Lanka reacted in ELISA and IFA test with SFG rickettsiae and C. burnetii (37.5 vs 20.0% and 27.5 vs 25.0% for goat sera, and 40.0 vs 30.0%, and 17.5 vs 15.0% for cattle sera, respectively). The results obtained indicate that the studied rickettsial diseases can be spread in given territories and may pose a public health problem requiring greater attention than has been paid so far. The suitability of ELISA and IFA test for serological survey of rickettsial antibodies is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Q fever in pregnancy: case report after a 2-year follow-up.

We report an acute Q fever case, a febrile syndrome, in the 14th week of pregnancy. Placental infection was documented by Coxiella burnetii culture. Newborn infection was ruled out on the basis of the absence of serological evidence after 2 years and on clinical normality. Serological diagnosis is reviewed here, as maternal serology was suggestive of chronic Q fever. The clinical progress, following extended observation, was consistent with acute infection. A QpDV plasmid, already described as being common to acute and chronic European cases, was detected.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

A Coxiella burnetti repeated DNA element resembling a bacterial insertion sequence.

A DNA fragment located on the 3' side of the Coxiella burnetii htpAB operon was determined by Southern blotting to exist in approximately 19 copies in the Nine Mile I genome. The DNA sequences of this htpAB-associated repetitive element and two other independent copies were analyzed to determine the size and nature of the element. The three copies of the element were 1,450, 1,452, and 1,458 bp long, with less than 2% divergence among the three sequences. Several features characteristic of bacterial insertion sequences were discovered. These included a single significant open reading frame that would encode a 367-amino-acid polypeptide which was predicted to be highly basic, to have a DNA-binding helix-turn-helix motif, to have a leucine zipper motif, and to have homology to polypeptides found in several other bacterial insertion sequences. Identical 7-bp inverted repeats were found at the ends of all three copies of the element. However, duplications generated by many bacterial mobile elements in the recipient DNA during insertion events did not flank the inverted repeats of any of the three C. burnetii elements examined. A second pair of inverted repeats that flanked the open reading frame was also found in all three copies of the element. Most of the divergence among the three copies of the element occurred in the region between the two inverted repeat sequences in the 3' end of the element. Despite the sequence changes, all three copies of the element have retained significant dyad symmetry in this region.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Unknown species of rickettsiae isolated from Ixodes ricinus tick in Wałcz.

Ticks Ixodes ricinus have been harvested in park down-town Wałcz in June 1994. Presence of Borrelia burgdorferi and rickettsiae has been tested with PCR. B. burgdorferi and Coxiella burnetii have not been detected in any tick whereas characteristic for other rickettsiae DNA fragment of gene encoding citrate-synthase has been found. Bacterial strain has been cultured from the tick. Biochemical properties of isolated strain has strongly suggested that these bacteria belong to genus Bartonella (Rochalimaea). Further identification of bacterial DNA with RFLP-PCR (restriction fragment length polymorphism-PCR) has shown characteristics of Bartonella bacilliformis species not recognised in Poland until recently.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Q fever in the western region of Ukraine].

Multiple natural and mixed foci of Q fever have been revealed at the territory of six administrative regions of the western part of the Ukraine. Coxiella burnetii strains have been isolated from small animals and ticks, the specific features of their ecology in Poles'e and forest-steppe zones have been determined. The necessity of the study of natural foci of Q fever at not yet surveyed territories for at least 3-4 years has been substantiated.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Pigeon pneumonia in provence: a bird-borne Q fever outbreak.

Q fever is a widespread zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium, which humans usually acquire through the inhalation of infected dust from subclinically infected mammals. Human infection commonly takes place when an infected mammal gives birth, since high concentrations of the organism are found in the products of conception. Worldwide, cattle, sheep, and goats are the most common reservoirs for C. burnetii. A few investigators have also reported parturient cats and dogs as the sources of human outbreaks of Q fever. During a 10-day period in May 1996, all five members of one family living on a farm in Provence, in the south of France, became ill with fever, general malaise, and cough. All of them had acute Q fever. An epidemiological investigation suggested that this outbreak resulted from exposure to contaminated pigeon feces and ticks.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Detection of mip-like sequences and Mip-related proteins within the family Rickettsiaceae.

The Mip surface protein, a prokaryotic analog of the FK506-binding proteins, enhances the ability of Legionella pneumophila to infect macrophages and protozoa. Using mip-specific probes and low-stringency Southern hybridizations, we have detected DNA sequences homologous to mip within Coxiella burnetii and Rochalimaea quintana. Using specific anti-Mip antisera and immunoblot analysis, we also detected Mip-related proteins within these bacteria as well as within Rickettsia and Ehrlichia species. These data suggest that Mip-related proteins have broad significance for host-parasite interactions. However, they also indicate that care must be exercised when using mip probes or anti-Mip antibodies for the detection of Legionella organisms in water or clinical samples.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1999

Q fever.

Q fever is a zoonosis with a worldwide distribution with the exception of New Zealand. The disease is caused by Coxiella burnetii, a strictly intracellular, gram-negative bacterium. Many species of mammals, birds, and ticks are reservoirs of C. burnetii in nature. C. burnetii infection is most often latent in animals, with persistent shedding of bacteria into the environment. However, in females intermittent high-level shedding occurs at the time of parturition, with millions of bacteria being released per gram of placenta. Humans are usually infected by contaminated aerosols from domestic animals, particularly after contact with parturient females and their birth products. Although often asymptomatic, Q fever may manifest in humans as an acute disease (mainly as a self-limited febrile illness, pneumonia, or hepatitis) or as a chronic disease (mainly endocarditis), especially in patients with previous valvulopathy and to a lesser extent in immunocompromised hosts and in pregnant women. Specific diagnosis of Q fever remains based upon serology. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antiphase II antibodies are detected 2 to 3 weeks after infection with C. burnetii, whereas the presence of IgG antiphase I C. burnetii antibodies at titers of >/=1:800 by microimmunofluorescence is indicative of chronic Q fever. The tetracyclines are still considered the mainstay of antibiotic therapy of acute Q fever, whereas antibiotic combinations administered over prolonged periods are necessary to prevent relapses in Q fever endocarditis patients. Although the protective role of Q fever vaccination with whole-cell extracts has been established, the population which should be primarily vaccinated remains to be clearly identified. Vaccination should probably be considered in the population at high risk for Q fever endocarditis.

Animals↗