title: Q fever in children in Greece.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations of Q fever among hospitalized children in Greece. During a two-year period, 1,200 children with various clinical manifestations were prospectively tested for Coxiella burnetii infection by indirect immunofluorescence. Acute Q fever was diagnosed in eight (0.67%) patients. No chronic case of infection was detected. Multivariate analysis showed that children 11-14 years old and children reporting consumption of cheese from rural areas were at increased risk for this illness. Clinical manifestations of acute Q fever were pneumonia (two patients), meningitis (two), prolonged fever (two), hepatitis (one), and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (one). Q fever accounted for 2.9% of the cases with prolonged fever, 1.2% of the cases of meningitis, and 0.5% of the cases of pneumonia. Fever and headache were the most common symptoms at presentation. Our study indicates that Q fever is a rare cause of hospitalization during childhood.
authors.affiliation: University of Athens Second Department of Pediatrics, P. and A. Kyriakou Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece. helen-maltezou@ath.forthnet.gr
authors.forename: Helen C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Maltezou
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Constantopoulou
authors.forename: Constantina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kallergi
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vlahou
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Georgakopoulos
authors.forename: Dimitris A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kafetzis
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Raoult
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011778:Q Fever / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons