Is Q fever an emerging infection in Turkey?
Between 4 May and 8 August 2002,46 cases of acute fever were reported near the Black Sea region in northern Turkey. The infection was treated rapidly and successfully with tetracyclines, so clinical diagnosis of rickettsial or ehrlichial infection was considered. Analysis of serum and blood samples taken from 19 patients identified the causative organism as Coxiella burnetii; 7 cases were reported as acute Q fever and 8 as seropositive for past infection. The most common clinical symptoms among the acute cases were vomiting (100.0%), nausea (85.7%), diarrhoea (57.1%), fever (42.9%), abdominal pain (42.9%) and headache (42.9%). Liver enzymes were elevated in all patients. It is considered that epidemiological investigation for Q fever will be essential in the affected region in future.
Gozalan
A
A
Department of Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Refik Saydam Hygiene Centre, Ankara, Turkey.
Esen
B
B
Rolain
J M
JM
Akin
L
L
Raoult
D
D
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000382:microbiology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000382:microbiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006261:Headache / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000382:microbiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011778:Q Fever / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000382:microbiology