BACKGROUND: Q fever is endemic in Israel, yet a large series describing the clinical spectrum of inpatients with acute Q fever in Israel is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To report on the clinical characteristics and outcome of hospitalized patients with acute Q fever in Israel. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 100 patients hospitalized in six medical centers, in whom acute Q fever was diagnosed by the presence of immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to phase II Coxiella burnetti antigens. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 42.7 +/- 17.3 years with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. Acute Q fever occurred throughout the year but was more common during the warm season. The most common clinical presentation was acute febrile disease (98%, mean length of fever 15.5 +/- 8.6 days), followed by hepatitis (67%) and pneumonia (32%). The prominent laboratory findings included: accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, normal or low white blood count with many band forms, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal urinalysis. Although the diagnosis of acute Q fever was not known during the hospitalization in the majority of patients, about 80% of our patients received appropriate antibiotic therapy and all patients recovered. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with acute Q fever present with a typical clinical picture that enables clinical diagnosis and empiric therapy in most cases. The prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute Q fever is excellent.
BACKGROUND: Q fever is endemic in Israel, yet a large series describing the clinical spectrum of inpatients with acute Q fever in Israel is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To report on the clinical characteristics and outcome of hospitalized patients with acute Q fever in Israel. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of 100 patients hospitalized in six medical centers, in whom acute Q fever was diagnosed by the presence of immunoglobulin G and M antibodies to phase II Coxiella burnetti antigens. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 42.7 +/- 17.3 years with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1. Acute Q fever occurred throughout the year but was more common during the warm season. The most common clinical presentation was acute febrile disease (98%, mean length of fever 15.5 +/- 8.6 days), followed by hepatitis (67%) and pneumonia (32%). The prominent laboratory findings included: accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, normal or low white blood count with many band forms, thrombocytopenia, and abnormal urinalysis. Although the diagnosis of acute Q fever was not known during the hospitalization in the majority of patients, about 80% of our patients received appropriate antibiotic therapy and all patients recovered. CONCLUSIONS:Patients with acute Q fever present with a typical clinical picture that enables clinical diagnosis and empiric therapy in most cases. The prognosis of hospitalized patients with acute Q fever is excellent.
Authors: M Vardi; N Petersil; A Keysary; S Rzotkiewicz; A Laor; H Bitterman Journal: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis Date: 2011-04-21 Impact factor: 3.267
Authors: Cornelia C H Wielders; Annemarie M H Wuister; Veerle L de Visser; Monique G de Jager-Leclercq; Cornelis A R Groot; Frederika Dijkstra; Arianne B van Gageldonk-Lafeber; Jeroen P G van Leuken; Peter C Wever; Wim van der Hoek; Peter M Schneeberger Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-03-10 Impact factor: 3.240