title: Specific risk factors for contracting Q fever: lessons from the outbreak Jena.
abstract: A Q fever outbreak with 331 reported cases in seven weeks occurred in a densely populated residential district in Jena (Germany) in 2005. Prompt identification of a stable infection source follow by an intense information policy, well defined and stable meteorological conditions and a large number of reported cases within one small community all allowed us to study promoting and protecting factors of Q fever. We conducted a cross-sectional study and investigated a part of the affected area for 100% sampling (in-home interviews). Out of 608 residents at home 460 (75.7%) participated in the study and 101 fulfilled our definition of an acute Q fever case. Our data revealed a critical zone for residency within 500 m of herds of gestating ewes in a typical urban dwelling area. We found an association between shift work and contracting Q fever. An association between outdoor activity and Q fever was only found after prolonged outdoor stays, on average more than 4h/day. Only open windows facing the putative source were associated with increased risk of Q fever. Therefore fully open windows of more than 6h/day is a significant parameter.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Jena, Erlanger Allee 101, 07747 Jena, Germany. Electronic address: katharina.boden@med.uni-jena.de.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boden
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brasche
authors.forename: Eberhard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Straube
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bischof
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000392:Air Movements; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D012307:Risk Factors; D012756:Sheep; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Coxiella burnetii; Exposure; Q fever; Risk of infection; Shift work; Zoonoses