Dolcé Patrick, Bélanger Marie-Joële, Tumanowicz Krzysztof, Gauthier Claude P, Jutras Philippe, Massé Richard, Montpetit Claude, Bernatchez Harold, McColl Dorothy, Artsob Harvey
Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Centre Hospitalier Régional de Rimouski, Rimouski.
Can J Infect Dis. 2003 Mar;14(2):97-102. doi: 10.1155/2003/504796.
To determine the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii among the shepherds and their sheep in the lower Saint-Lawrence River region (LSLRR) of Quebec, Canada.
A prospective human-animal comparative study was conducted with 81 shepherds from 46 farms and a control group matched for sex and age. All participants answered a standardized questionnaire to evaluate their risk factors for Q fever, including a specific section on the work practices of the shepherds. All human subjects had a blood sample taken for serology to phase I and phase II antigens of C burnetii performed by indirect immunofluorescence assay. At each participating farm, seven to nine sheep had blood samples taken for C burnetii serology to be assessed by the complement fixation test.
The seroprevalence to C burnetii was higher in the group of shepherds (28.4%) than the control group (1.2%) (P<0.005). Among the group of shepherds, spending more than 5 h/week in the sheep barn (P=0.06) and buying and/or trading sheep within the past six months (P=0.004) were associated with positive C burnetii serology. A total of 137 of 334 sheep (41%) were seropositive for C burnetii. These positive sheep were distributed in 41 of the 46 flocks (89%). No correlation could be demonstrated between a serology for C burnetii in the herds and the shepherds.
Q fever is highly prevalent in the LSLRR of Quebec, affecting 89% of the flocks and 28% of the shepherds. Shepherds in this region are at increased risk for C burnetii infection in comparison to the general population.
确定加拿大魁北克省圣劳伦斯河下游地区（LSLRR）牧羊人及其羊群中伯氏考克斯体的血清阳性率。
对来自46个农场的81名牧羊人和一个年龄及性别匹配的对照组进行了一项前瞻性人兽对比研究。所有参与者都回答了一份标准化问卷，以评估他们患Q热的风险因素，其中包括一个关于牧羊人工作习惯的特定部分。所有人类受试者都采集了血样，通过间接免疫荧光法检测针对伯氏考克斯体I相和II相抗原的血清学情况。在每个参与研究的农场，采集7至9只羊的血样，通过补体结合试验评估伯氏考克斯体血清学情况。
牧羊人群体中伯氏考克斯体的血清阳性率（28.4%）高于对照组（1.2%）（P<0.005）。在牧羊人群体中，每周在羊舍中停留超过5小时（P=0.06）以及在过去六个月内买卖和/或交易羊只（P=0.004）与伯氏考克斯体血清学阳性相关。334只羊中有137只（41%）伯氏考克斯体血清学呈阳性。这些阳性羊分布在46个羊群中的41个（89%）。在羊群和牧羊人之间未发现伯氏考克斯体血清学之间的相关性。
Q热在魁北克省的LSLRR地区高度流行，影响了89%的羊群和28%的牧羊人。与一般人群相比，该地区的牧羊人感染伯氏考克斯体的风险增加。
