title: Short report: seroprevalence of human infection by Coxiella burnetii in Barcelona (northeast of Spain).
abstract: Coxiella burnetii is the causal agent of Q fever, a worldwide-distributed zoonosis, which is endemic in Spain. C. burnetii has an extensive reservoir, including farm animals and pets. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of C. burnetii in humans in Vallés Occidental (Barcelona, northeast of Spain) and its possible related risk factors. The prevalence of phase II antibodies from 216 subjects was determined by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Age, sex, living place, occupation, and contact with animals were surveyed. A 15.3% seroprevalence was found (> or = 1/40), and 8.8% of samples had titers > or = 1/80. Seropositive cases were significantly higher in patients > 44 years of age. No statistically significant correlation was found between seropositivity and the remaining variables studied. Therefore, infection by C. burnetii seems to be endemic in our region, with a prevalence ranging from 9% to 15%, depending on the titers that are to be considered significant.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Program, Department of Internal Medicine, Corporació Parc Taulí, Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain. neus.cardenosa@gencat.net
authors.forename: Neus
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cardeñosa
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sanfeliu
authors.forename: Bernat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Font
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: María Mercedes
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Nogueras
authors.forename: Ferran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Segura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology*; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial