title: Q fever in the Greek Island of Crete: epidemiologic, clinical, and therapeutic data from 98 cases.
abstract: A retrospective study was undertaken in Crete, Greece, to investigate the epidemiologic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of Q fever. Over a period of 5 years (1989-1993), 1,298 patients were examined and 98 cases were identified. Individuals who were aged 20-29 years and 30-39 years appeared to have an increased risk of infection. Contact with animals was found to be a major risk factor for acquisition of Q fever. The predominant clinical manifestations of the infection were fever (91.7% of patients) and respiratory disease (88.5%), whereas hepatitis was the dominant feature in only a minority (7.1%) of patients. Chest radiographs frequently revealed pulmonary interstitial changes (36.4% of patients) and alveolar changes (34.4%). Abnormal echocardiographic findings were also observed. There was no difference in the duration of fever whether the patient received therapy with tetracycline or erythromycin, a finding that may be explained by the delay in initiating tetracycline therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology, University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tselentis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gikas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kofteridis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kyriakakis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lydataki
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bouros
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsaparas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011022:Pneumonia, Rickettsial / Q000209:etiology; D011778:Q Fever / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial