title: Seroepidemiological survey of Q fever in León province, Spain.
abstract: A seroepidemiological survey, using an indirect immunofluorescence test against Coxiella burnetii (antigenic phase II), was carried out in León province, north-western Spain. A total of 406 serum samples was collected from people (from 15 to more than 65 years old) living in a rural environment during the winter and spring of 1994. The overall prevalence was 40.6%, titres ranged from 1:80 to 1:640, and a titre of 1:80 was encountered among 60.6% of positive samples. A significant higher prevalence was observed among males globally, as well as among those aged 15-44 and 45-64 years old; however, no difference was encountered among males and females older than 64 years. In the same way, a significant higher Q fever prevalence was observed among individuals having occupations related to agriculture and among those having close relationship with animals.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patología Animal (Sanidad Animal), Facultad de Veterinaria de León, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suárez-Estrada
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Barbosa
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-Martín
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Castañeda-López
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Marcos
authors.forename: O R
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: González-Llamazares
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Ferri
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011778:Q Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology