title: Seroprevalence for Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus and Brucella melitensis in Austrian adults: a cross-sectional survey among military personnel and civilians.
abstract: The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus, and Brucella melitensis infections in Austria and the exposure risk of military personnel were assessed in an exploratory nationwide cross-sectional seroprevalence survey in 526 healthy adult individuals, 222 of which were soldiers and 304 were civilians. Screening for IgA/IgG antibodies to C. burnetii (Phase I) and IgG/IgM antibodies to C. burnetii (Phase II), and to F. tularensis was done with commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. To detect antibodies against B. abortus and B. melitensis, an in-house complement fixation test was used. Overall, 11 individuals (2.0%) showed antibodies to C. burnetii, 3 individuals (0.5%) were seropositive for F. tularensis, and one (0.3%) individual was borderline positive. All individuals positive or borderline for F. tularensis tested negative for antibodies against C. burnetii. All individuals tested negative for antibodies against B. melitensis/B. abortus. There were no significant differences between the seroprevalence of C. burnetii and F. tularensis among military personnel and civilians. Our data demonstrate serological evidence of a low rate of exposure to C. burnetii and F. tularensis among the Austrian adult population and military personnel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tobudic
authors.affiliation: Fachhochschule Campus Wien, University of Applied Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Klara
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nedomansky
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Dermatology and Tropical Medicine, Military Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Poeppl
authors.affiliation: Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Support, Military Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Angelus
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Faas
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Tropical Medicine, Military Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mooseder
authors.affiliation: Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Allerberger
authors.affiliation: Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerold
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stanek
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: heinz.burgmann@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Burgmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D002002:Brucella / Q000276:immunology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000097:blood; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M
keywords: Brucella; Coxiella burnetii; Francisella tularensis; Military; Seroprevalence