文章基本信息

标题：SEROPREVALENCE OF ANTIBODIES TO COXIELLA BURNETII AMONG EMPLOYES OF THE VETERINARY UNIVERSITY IN KOŠICE, EASTERN SLOVAKIA
本地全文：下载
作者：Erik Dorko ; Zuzana Kalinová ; Tatiana Weissová 等
期刊名称：Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine
印刷版ISSN：1232-1966
电子版ISSN：1898-2263
出版年度：2008
卷号：15
期号：01
页码：119-119
出版社：Institute of Agricultural Medicine in Lublin
摘要：Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular pathogen known to be the causa- tive agent of Q fever, a zoonosis with worldwide occurrence. The organism has been found in many wild and domestic animals. Infected animals shed highly stable bacteria in urine, faeces, milk, and through placental and birth ? uids. Humans acquire the infec- tion mainly by inhaling infected aerosols, or by ingesting contaminated raw milk or fresh dairy products; tick transmission has been proven but is probably rare. The aim of the present study was to determine the titres of immunoglobulin IgG against phase I and II of C. burnetii, and to evaluate the risk factors that might be associated with exposure to C. burnetii among employees of the Veterinary University. Venous blood was obtained from 92 employees. IgG antibodies were determined by ELISA method modi? ed in our laboratory using whole cells of the Nine Mile C. burnetii strain. The questionare was ? lled out by every subject to obtain epidemiological and clinical date. Phase I antibodies were detected in 35 subjects, i.e. in 38%, and phase II antibodies in 58 subjects, i.e. in 63%. When using the titre 1:800 as a cut-off level, 2 samples were positive for phase I antibodies (2.1%) and 12 for phase II antibodies (13%). Factors predisposing to infec- tion or exposure to C. burnetii included professional orientation and regular contact with farm animals and pets. Clinical history of some seropositive subjects revealed substantial problems, such as fever of unknown origin, rheumatic disease, disease of heart, liver, respiratory tract (particularly atypical pneumonia), chronic fatigue syndrome and spon- taneous abortion in females. Q fever is a profession-related disease and prevention of its spreading within the risk population groups requires observation of basic safety rules.
关键词：Q fever, Coxiella burnetii, antibodies, ELISA, veterinarians, animal nurses.