Q fever: clinical manifestations and treatment.
Public awareness and advances in the diagnostic approach to Q fever have provided important information on epidemiological and clinical aspects of this zoonosis. Coxiella burnetii infection exhibits various acute or chronic clinical forms, and infection during pregnancy may jeopardize the integrity of the fetus. The presentation of infection is often nonspecific and this hinders prompt diagnosis. Therapeutic regimens vary, and treating Q fever during pregnancy and childhood is often challenging. Increasing clinical experience with C. burnetii infections has helped create treatment protocols and follow-up algorithms that have considerably improved management and prognosis. Vaccines are available, although their use is still limited.
Gikas
Achilleas
A
Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece. gikas@med.uoc.gr
Kokkini
Sofia
S
Tsioutis
Constantinos
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000187:drug effects; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015047:Zoonoses
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004318:Doxycycline