title: [Clinical features of Q-fever pneumonia].
abstract: A retrospective study was undertaken to investigate the clinical aspects of Q-fever pneumonia. Six sporadic cases, 5 men and 1 woman, aged between 36 and 81 years were diagnosed by testing paired serum samples using an indirect immunofluorescence assay from July 2004 to June 2007. Of these, 5 suffered from concomitant or chronic disease. The predominant clinical features were fever, cough, sputum, and chest pain. The WBC count was within normal values in half of the patients. C-reactive protein was elevated in all patients. Liver dysfunction was noted in 2 patients. Chest computed tomography revealed air space consolidation and small nodules in all patients and pleural effusion in 1 patient. Anti-phase II IgG titers of paired serum samples were elevated, but anti-phase II IgM titers were within normal limits in all the patients. Antibiotics were given to all the patients, and, beta-lactum agents were prescribed for 3 patients. The outcome was favorable in all the patients. These patients demonstrated nonspecific clinical, radiological, and laboratory manifestations, and we were able to distinguish Q-type pneumonia from other forms of community-acquired pneumonia only by testing anti-phase II IgG titers of paired serum samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Respiratory Medicine, Chiba Aoba Municipal Hospital.
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Yukiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shinbo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies