Coxiella burnetii vascular graft infection.
BACKGROUND
Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, may cause culture-negative vascular graft infections. Very few cases of C. burnetii infection of a vascular graft have been reported. All were diagnosed by serology.


METHODS
We report the first case of Coxiella burnetii vascular graft infection diagnosed by broad-range PCR and discuss the diagnostic approaches and treatment strategies of chronic C. burnetii infection.


CONCLUSIONS
C. burnetii should be considered as etiological agent in patients with a vascular graft and fever, abdominal pain, and laboratory signs of inflammation, with or without exposure history. Broad-range PCR should be performed on culture-negative surgical samples in patients with suspected infection of vascular graft.
Senn
Laurence
L
Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Laurence.Senn@chuv.ch
Franciolli
Mario
M
Raoult
Didier
D
Moulin
Alexandre
A
Von Segesser
Ludwig
L
Calandra
Thierry
T
Greub
Gilbert
G
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000382:microbiology*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D002738:Chloroquine; D004318:Doxycycline