title: Acute Q fever hepatitis in Taiwan.
abstract: We report a case of a chronic hepatitis B carrier with an episode of acute hepatitis. The patient presented with a headache, arthralgias, jaundice and fever. While the laboratory tests mimicked chronic hepatitis B with an acute exacerbation, lipogranulomatous changes seen in the liver biopsy strongly suggested the presence of Q fever. Serology testing for Coxiella burneti proved positive and the patient responded to tetracycline therapy. While previously unreported in Taiwan, Q fever is important to consider in an atypical hepatitis presentation because it is a treatable condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000382:microbiology*; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D013624:Taiwan; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D013752:Tetracycline