Q fever serology in febrile patients in southeast Iran.
There is little information on human Q fever in Iran and other Middle East countries. The aim of this study was to determine apparent Q fever seropositivity among febrile patients with suspected brucellosis in southeast Iran. Coxiella burnetii phases I and II specific IgG antibodies were measured by a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in sera from 75 febrile patients. Phase I antibodies were detected in 18 subjects (24%) and phase II antibodies in 27 subjects (36%). This is the first report of human Q fever seropositivity in Iran after 3 decades and demonstrated a high prevalence of C. burnetii exposure in the sampled febrile patients.
Khalili
Mohammad
M
Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, P.O. Box 76169-14111, Kerman, Iran. mdkhalili1@yahoo.com
Shahabi-Nejad
Naser
N
Golchin
Mehdi
M
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011778:Q Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial