<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Q fever is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. The main sources of human infection are inhalation of aerosols containing Coxiella burnetii bacteria and exposition to infected materials during parturition or slaughtering. The high-risk group includes people who work directly with infected livestock, such as farmers, veterinarians, veterinary medicine students, slaughterhouse and laboratory staff. Here we present a pilot study of risk-group human seroprevalence to C. burnetii in Latvia. The study included 240 sera samples — 190 from the risk groups and 50 from the control group. Samples were tested with Coxiella burnetii (Q-fever) Phase 1 and 2 IgG ELISA kits. All sera from the control group were negative. The seroprevalence among risk group persons was 8.04–11.54%. No statistically significant differences were observed between genders. The highest percentage of seropositive and equivocal sera samples (25%) were detected in age categories 39–48 years and 49–58 years. Working as a practicing veterinarian or former veterinarian was the only risk factor identified as statistically significant, and belonging to the risk group in general. The geographical distribution of seropositive risk group participants indicated that they tend to located more in the northern, central, and eastern part of the country.</p>
</abstract>

Q fever is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. The main sources of human infection are inhalation of aerosols containing Coxiella burnetii bacteria and exposition to infected materials during parturition or slaughtering. The high-risk group includes people who work directly with infected livestock, such as farmers, veterinarians, veterinary medicine students, slaughterhouse and laboratory staff. Here we present a pilot study of risk-group human seroprevalence to C. burnetii in Latvia. The study included 240 sera samples — 190 from the risk groups and 50 from the control group. Samples were tested with Coxiella burnetii (Q-fever) Phase 1 and 2 IgG ELISA kits. All sera from the control group were negative. The seroprevalence among risk group persons was 8.04–11.54%. No statistically significant differences were observed between genders. The highest percentage of seropositive and equivocal sera samples (25%) were detected in age categories 39–48 years and 49–58 years. Working as a practicing veterinarian or former veterinarian was the only risk factor identified as statistically significant, and belonging to the risk group in general. The geographical distribution of seropositive risk group participants indicated that they tend to located more in the northern, central, and eastern part of the country.

Pilot Study of Risk Group Human Seroprevalence to <italic>Coxiella burnetii</italic> (Q Fever) in Latvia

Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies

Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Pilot Study of Risk Group Human Seroprevalence to  (Q Fever) in Latvia

Q fever is an important zoonotic disease worldwide. The main sources of human infection are inhalation of aerosols containing Coxiella burnetii bacteria and...

Pilot Study of Risk Group Human Seroprevalence to Coxiella burnetii (Q Fever) in Latvia

Publié en ligne: 15 nov. 2021

Pages: 364 - 370

Reçu: 08 janv. 2021

Accepté: 18 mai 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2021-0053

Mots clés
coxiellosis, occupational risk, people, public health, zoonotic disease

© 2021 Lelde Grantiņa-Ieviņa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Pilot Study of Risk Group Human Seroprevalence to Coxiella burnetii (Q Fever) in Latvia

Publié en ligne: 15 nov. 2021

Pages: 364 - 370

Reçu: 08 janv. 2021

Accepté: 18 mai 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/prolas-2021-0053

Mots cléscoxiellosis, occupational risk, people, public health, zoonotic disease

© 2021 Lelde Grantiņa-Ieviņa et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Mots clés
coxiellosis, occupational risk, people, public health, zoonotic disease