Sustained intensive transmission of Q fever in the south of the Netherlands, 2009.
The Netherlands is again facing a sharp increase in Q fever notifications, after the unprecedented outbreaks of 2007 and 2008. The most affected province of Noord Brabant has a high density of large dairy goat farms, and farms with abortion waves have been incriminated. Mandatory vaccination of small ruminants has started and should have an effect in 2010. A large multidisciplinary research portfolio is expected to generate better knowledge about transmission and additional control measures.
Centre for Infectious Disease Control, (CIb), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, RIVM, Bilthoven, the Netherlands. barbara.schimmer@rivm.nl
B
B
Schimmer
F
F
Dijkstra
P
P
Vellema
P M
PM
Schneeberger
V
V
Hackert
R
R
ter Schegget
C
C
Wijkmans
Y
Y
van Duynhoven
W
W
van der Hoek
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic / Q000382:microbiology; D003612:Dairying; D018563:Disease Notification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary