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Letter
Q Fever Wildlife Reservoir
Miguel G. Madariaga*
*University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Suggested
citation for this article
To the Editor: To the list of zoonotic infections with wildlife
sources reported by Kruse et al. (1), I would add Coxiella
burnetii infection because of its global impact, extensive presence
in the animal kingdom, and potential for use as an agent of bioterrorism
(2). C. burnetii causes Q fever, a self-limited
disease that usually appears as undifferentiated fever, pneumonia, or
hepatitis, but which may progress into chronic disease, especially endocarditis,
among susceptible persons. Q fever is endemic worldwide in domestic mammals,
especially ungulates (cattle, sheep, and goats), but also has been found
in wild mammals, birds, and arthropods. The transmission of Q fever to
humans from wild rabbits was documented in the 1980s (3).
More recently, a study showed seroprevalence of Q fever ranging from 7%
to 53% in brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in Oxfordshire, which
suggests that they are a possible reservoir for C. burnetii in
the United Kingdom. The study also speculated why cats, as frequent predators
of rats, are important in maintaining the transmission cycle of the disease
(4).
A case-control study published in 2001 (5) attempted
to define the risk factors for an increase in the incidence of Q fever
in French Guiana in 1996. The study found no link between Q fever and
domestic ungulates, the usual source of outbreaks. The role of pets, basically
dogs and cats, as a reservoir was also excluded. Multivariate analysis
showed that living in close proximity to the forest, exposure to wild
animals (including bats), and working in public trade or public works
were all associated with infection. A strong correlation between large
amounts of rainfall and higher incidence of Q fever was found also. All
of these findings suggested a wild reservoir as a potential source of
the epidemics, although the researchers could not identify a particular
species as the specific source.
References
- Kruse H, Kirkemo AM, Handeland K. Wildlife
as source of zoonotic infections. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004;10:2067–72.
- Madariaga MG, Rezai K, Trenholme GM, Weinstein RA. Q
fever: a biological weapon in your backyard. Lancet Infect Dis.
2003;3:709–21.
- Marrie TJ, Schlech WF 3rd, Williams JC, Yates L. Q
fever pneumonia associated with exposure to wild rabbits. Lancet.
1986;1:427–9.
- Webster JP, Lloyd G, Macdonald DW. Q
fever (Coxiella burnetii) reservoir in wild brown rat (Rattus
norvegicus) populations in the UK. Parasitology. 1995;110:31–5.
- Gardon J, Heraud JM, Laventure S, Ladam A, Capot P, Fouquet E, et
al. Suburban
transmission of Q fever in French Guiana: evidence of a wild reservoir.
J Infect Dis. 2001;184:278–84.
Suggested citation
for this article:
Madariaga MG. Q fever
wildlife reservoir [letter]. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet].
2005 May [date cited]. Available from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no05/04-1272.htm
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