Current perspectives on the occurrence of Q fever: highlighting the need for systematic surveillance for a neglected zoonotic disease in Indian subcontinent

Q fever, a widespread zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetiid, produces a complex and polymorphic disease in humans. As a zoonotic disease, control in animals will influence the level of disease seen in humans, thus resulting in interesting one health perspectives for disease control. Here the authors describe the clinical manifestations in animals and humans, as well as the current diagnostic methods available and the strategies for disease control. A review on the published information regarding Q fever as a disease with impact for veterinary public health and public health is presented.

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Serological evidence of Coxiella burnetii infection in cattle and farm workers: is Q fever an underreported zoonotic disease in Ecuador?

Infection and Drug Resistance ◽

10.2147/idr.s195940 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol Volume 12 ◽

pp. 701-706 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Gustavo Echeverría ◽

Armando Reyna-Bello ◽

Elizabeth Minda-Aluisa ◽

Maritza Celi-Erazo ◽

Lisbeth Olmedo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Q Fever ◽

Zoonotic Disease ◽

Farm Workers ◽

Serological Evidence

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Q fever is an old and neglected zoonotic disease in Kenya: a systematic review

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-016-2929-9 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

J. Njeru ◽

K. Henning ◽

M. W. Pletz ◽

R. Heller ◽

H. Neubauer

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Q Fever ◽

Zoonotic Disease

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Q Fever Endocarditis: A Diagnostic Dilemma

Canadian Journal of General Internal Medicine ◽

10.22374/cjgim.v13i1.218 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rebecca Angela Jeffery ◽

Steve Walsh ◽

Babar Haroon

Keyword(s):

Aortic Valve ◽

Q Fever ◽

Clinical Manifestations ◽

Zoonotic Disease ◽

Blood Cultures ◽

Positive Serology ◽

Diagnostic Dilemma ◽

Common Manifestation

Q fever is a zoonotic disease, typically spread by aerosol transmission from infected animals to humans. It can present with a variety of clinical manifestations, but endocarditis is the most common manifestation. We present a case of an 80-year-old man with a prior bioprosthetic aortic valve (AV) replacement who presented with chronic constitutional symptoms that acutely worsened over two days leading up to his presentation. An initial echocardiogram was equivocal for endocarditis, and bloodwork revealed a bicyotpenia, elevated ferritin, and negative blood cultures. He was diagnosed with Q fever endocarditis after positive serology for Coxiella burnetti. Treatment for this patient involved a 24-month course of doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine. Résumé Q la fièvre est une maladie zoonotique, généralement propagée par la transmission en aérosol des animaux infectés aux humains. Il peut présenter avec une variété de manifestations cliniques, mais l'endocardite est la manifestation la plus commune. Nous présentons un cas d'un homme de 80 ans avec une valve aortique antérieure de bioprothèse (AV) de remplacement qui a présenté des symptômes chroniques de la Constitution qui s'est aggravée de façon aiguë pendant deux jours menant à sa présentation. Un échocardiogramme initial a été équivoque pour l'endocardite, et analyses a révélé une bicyotpenia, une élévation de la ferritine et des cultures sanguines négatives. On lui a diagnostiqué une endocardite de fièvre Q après une sérologie positive pour Coxiella burnetti. Le traitement pour ce patient a impliqué un cours de 24 mois de doxycycline et de hydroxychloroquine.

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Meso-tartrate inhibits intracellular replication of Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of the zoonotic disease Q fever

Pathogens and Disease ◽

10.1093/femspd/ftz066 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 77 (8) ◽

Author(s):

Mebratu A Bitew ◽

Nadeeka K Wawegama ◽

Hayley J Newton ◽

Fiona M Sansom

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Mammalian Cells ◽

De Novo ◽

Treatment Time ◽

Q Fever ◽

Zoonotic Disease ◽

Host Cells ◽

Environmental Stability ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Duration Of Treatment

ABSTRACT The zoonotic disease Q fever caused by the intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii remains a global health threat due to its high infectivity, environmental stability, the debilitating nature and the long duration of treatment. Designing new and potent drugs that target previously unexplored pathways is essential to shorten treatment time and minimise antibiotic resistance. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential and ubiquitous cofactor in all living organisms. NadB, an L-aspartate oxidase catalysing the first step of the prokaryotic-specific NAD de novo biosynthetic pathway, is required for C. burnetii growth and replication inside host cells. In this study, in vitro enzyme assays utilising recombinant glutathione S-transferase tagged NadB (GST-NadB) demonstrated inhibition of the L-aspartate oxidase activity of NadB by meso-tartrate. Furthermore, meso-tartrate inhibits intracellular growth and replication of C. burnetii inside host cells in a dose-dependent manner, and has no effect on the viability of mammalian cells. Unexpectedly, meso-tartrate also inhibited growth of C. burnetii in axenic medium, and further reduces replication of the nadB mutant inside host cells, suggesting it is acting more widely than simple inhibition of NadB. Overall, these results suggest that the antibacterial activity of meso-tartrate warrants further study, including investigation of its additional target(s).

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Serological Detection of Q–Fever in the Sera of Humans and Ruminants in Selected Areas in the Philippines

IAMURE International Journal of Ecology and Conservation ◽

10.7718/ijec.v18i1.1113 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Fernando C. Cardona

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Complement Fixation Test ◽

Complement Fixation ◽

Q Fever ◽

Zoonotic Disease ◽

The Philippines ◽

Fixation Test ◽

Serological Detection ◽

Sera Samples

Q fever is an emerging worldwide zoonotic disease caused by a bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Detection of Q fever antibodies among humans and animals was conducted using sera from human donors and sera from three different species of animals obtained from Catarman, Northern Samar, Los Baños, Laguna, and General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines. The Complement Fixation Test (CFT) was used to detect antibodies in sera samples. The result of the study showed that Q fever antibodies in humans were found to be 37% (22/60) while the sampled animals have 43 % (77/180). Among the animals, the highest occurrence of antibodies was observed in goats with 70% (42/60), followed by 40% among cattle (24/60) and the least 18% were from carabaos (11/60). According to sampling sites, 20% (12/60) of antibody-positive humans were from Los Baños, Laguna, some 17% (10/60) came from General Santos City and none from Catarman, Northern Samar. Among the goats examined, a higher percentage of Q fever antibodies were obtained from those in Los Baños with 30% (18/60) occurrence, and from General Santos City with 25% (15/60) occurrence. Likewise, an equal occurrence rates of Q fever antibodies among cattle came from Los Baños, Laguna and General Santos City each with 20% (12/60) seropositivity, respectively. Among the carabaos, 18% (11/60) was in General Santos City and 8% (5/60) in Catarman. Based on these findings, it could be inferred that Q fever infection exists among humans, goats, cattle, and carabaos in the Philippines.

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Presence and Persistence of Coxiella burnetii in the Environments of Goat Farms Associated with a Q Fever Outbreak

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.03472-12 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 79 (5) ◽

pp. 1697-1703 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Gilbert J. Kersh ◽

Kelly A. Fitzpatrick ◽

Joshua S. Self ◽

Rachael A. Priestley ◽

Aubree J. Kelly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Quantitative Pcr ◽

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Q Fever ◽

Human Movement ◽

Zoonotic Disease ◽

Content Type ◽

Air Samples ◽

Ruminant Livestock

ABSTRACTQ fever is a zoonotic disease caused by inhalation of the bacteriumCoxiella burnetii. Ruminant livestock are common reservoirs forC. burnetii, and bacteria present in aerosols derived from the waste of infected animals can infect humans. The significance of infection from material deposited in the environment versus transmission directly from infected animals is not known. In 2011, an outbreak of Q fever cases on farms in Washington and Montana was associated with infected goats. A study was undertaken to investigate the quantity and spatial distribution ofC. burnetiiin the environment of these goat farms. Soil, vacuum, and sponge samples collected on seven farms epidemiologically linked to the outbreak were tested for the presence ofC. burnetiiDNA by quantitative PCR. Overall, 70.1% of the samples were positive forC. burnetii. All farms had positive samples, but the quantity ofC. burnetiivaried widely between samples and between farms. High quantities ofC. burnetiiDNA were in goat housing/birthing areas, and only small quantities were found in samples collected more than 50 m from these areas. Follow-up sampling at one of the farms 1 year after the outbreak found small quantities ofC. burnetiiDNA in air samples and large quantities ofC. burnetiipersisting in soil and vacuum samples. The results suggest that the highest concentrations of environmentalC. burnetiiare found in goat birthing areas and that contamination of other areas is mostly associated with human movement.

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