title: Q fever outbreaks in Poland during 2005-2011.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Q fever is a health problem affecting humans and animals worldwide. In Poland, previous studies have pointed to 2 sources of outbreaks of the disease: the importation of infected animals and their products, and natural domestic foci. In the last decade, 5 outbreaks have occurred in cattle farms in south Poland in Malopolskie, Podkarpackie, Opolskie, and Silesian provinces. The aim of this study was to characterize the Q fever foci in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 279 individuals were included. Levels of serum IgM and IgG antibodies to phase I and II C. burnetii antigens were assayed by indirect immunofluorescence method. Bacterial DNA from all specimens were detected with PCR with primer pairs specific to the htpAB-associated repetitive element, and amplicons were sequenced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Infection was recognized in 67 individuals out of 279 tested in all foci. Twenty-five individuals presented clinical symptoms of acute Q fever. DNA of C. burnetii was found in 8 human blood samples obtained from 3 farm workers and 5 family members.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The described outbreaks demonstrate that the main source of human infections in Poland is infected cattle.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Rickettsiae, Chlamydiae and Spirochetes, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chmielewski
authors.forename: Stanisława
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tylewska-Wierzbanowska
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000266:history*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D017931:DNA Primers; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M