Q fever – selected issues
Journal Title: Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine - Year 2013, Vol 20, Issue 2
Abstract
Q fever is an infectious disease of humans and animals caused by Gram-negative coccobacillus [i]Coxiella burnetii[/i], belonging to the [i]Legionellales[/i] order, [i]Coxiellaceae[/i] family. The presented study compares selected features of the bacteria genome, including chromosome and plasmids QpH1, QpRS, QpDG and QpDV. The pathomechanism of infection – starting from internalization of the bacteria to its release from infected cell are thoroughly described. The drugs of choice for the treatment of acute Q fever are tetracyclines, macrolides and quinolones. Some other antimicrobials are also active against [i]C. burnetii[/i], namely, telitromycines and tigecyclines (glicylcycline). Q-VAX vaccine induces strong and long-term immunity in humans. Coxevac vaccine for goat and sheep can reduce the number of infections and abortions, as well as decrease the environmental transmission of the pathogen. Using the microarrays technique, about 50 proteins has been identified which could be used in the future for the production of vaccine against Q fever. The routine method of [i]C. burnetii[/i] culture is proliferation within cell lines; however, an artificial culture medium has recently been developed. The growth of bacteria in a reduced oxygen (2.5%) atmosphere was obtained after just 6 days. In serology, using the IF method as positive titers, the IgM antibody level >1:64 and IgG antibody level >1:256 (against II phase antigens) has been considered. In molecular diagnostics of [i]C. burnetii[/i] infection, the most frequently used method is PCR and its modifications; namely, nested PCR and real time PCR which detect target sequences, such as [i]htpAB[/i] and [i]IS1111[/i], chromosome genes (com1), genes specific for different types of plasmids and transposase genes. Although Q fever was diagnosed in Poland in 1956, the data about the occurrence of the disease are incomplete. Comprehensive studies on the current status of Q fever in Poland, with special focus on pathogen reservoirs and vectors, the sources of infection and molecular characteristics of bacteria should be conducted.
Authors and Affiliations
Agata Bielawska-Drózd, Piotr Cieślik, Tomasz Mirski, Michał Bartoszcze, Józef Piotr Knap, Jerzy Gaweł, Dorota Żakowska
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP80606
- DOI -
- Views 144
- Downloads 0
Aerobiological study in east-central Iberian Peninsula: pollen diversity and dynamics for major taxa.
A study was made of airborne pollen counts in Cuenca (east-central Iberian Peninsula, Spain), using data obtained over a 3-year period (2008-2010). This is the first such study carried out in the World Heritage city of C...
Pantoea agglomerans: a mysterious bacterium of evil and good. Part III. Deleterious effects: infections of humans, animals and plants
[i]Pantoea agglomerans[/i], a bacterium associated with plants, is not an obligate infectious agent in humans. However, it could be a cause of opportunistic human infections, mostly by wound infection with plant material...
Health improvement in Poland is contingent on continued extensive tobacco control measures
Tobacco smoking is a major avoidable single cause of premature mortality in Poland. Almost one in three Polish males do not live to 65 years of age, and almost half of this premature mortality can be traced back to the m...
Iron bioavailability from cereal products enriched with Pleurotus ostreatus mushrooms in rats with induced anaemia
[b][/b][b]Introduction and objective. [/b]Oyster mushroom [i]Pleurotus ostreatus [/i]is good source of iron. However, there is a limited data concerning bioavailability of iron from oyster mushroom and also cereal produc...
Assessment of adequacy of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy
Introduction. Deficiency of vitamin D in pregnancy leads to higher incidences of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, bacterial vaginosis, and also affects the health of the infants. According to Polish rec...