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Neth J Med 2018 Sep;76(7):349

Internal Medicine, Catholic University and Armed Forces Hospital, Brasília-DF, Brazil.

Acta Trop 2018 Sep 13. Epub 2018 Sep 13.

Service de Microbiologie et Immunologie, Ecole Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, Université de la Manouba, Tunisia. Electronic address:

Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonotic disease responsible of abortion in ruminants. Few studies have investigated the prevalence of this infection in camels (Camelus dromedarius). The present report aimed to highlight the epidemiological status and identify the risk factors associated with C. Read More

One Health 2018 Dec 30;6:7-15. Epub 2018 Aug 30.

Faculty of Science, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

While general medical practitioners (GPs) and veterinarians are often the first line responders in the face of a disease outbreak, pathways to improving the One Health efficacy of these clinicians remain unclear. A two-phase modified Delphi survey of professionals with known expertise in One Health ('expert panel') was used to 1) identify key knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of GPs and veterinarians that would be consistent with a One Health approach to zoonoses; and 2) determine priorities for future surveys with Australian GPs and veterinarians to identify important gaps that impede effective diagnosis and management of zoonoses. A list of 13 topics/sub-topics, as well as a list of 25 specific zoonotic diseases/agents emerged from the first phase of the survey. Read More

Rev Sci Tech 2017 Dec;36(3):997-1006

Small ruminant production is one of the main sources of meat in Algeria and plays a vital role in the country's food security. Algeria's small ruminant industry has the potential to improve the living standards of farmers and households, as well as to increase animal protein availability to the public, and as a consequence to alleviate poverty and improve health. This review describes the main infectious diseases that have an impact on small ruminant production in Algeria. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018 Aug 27. Epub 2018 Aug 27.

1 Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle , Newcastle, Australia .

There is no information on rickettsial diseases in domestic animals in Bhutan. This study provides preliminary serological data on exposure of domestic animals to Rickettsia, Orientia, and Coxiella. Animal sera were collected opportunistically from Bhutan and tested in the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory for IgG antibodies against spotted fever group (SFG) and typhus group (TG) Rickettsia, scrub typhus group (STG), and Q fever (QF). Read More

Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2018 Aug 18. Epub 2018 Aug 18.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.

Medicine (Baltimore) 2018 Aug;97(34):e11881

Department of Infectious Diseases, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul.

Coxiella burnetii is a common cause of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis (IE). Molecular detection of C burnetii DNA in clinical specimens is a promising method of diagnosing Q fever endocarditis. Here, we examined the diagnostic utility of Q fever polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of formalin-fixed heart valve tissue from patients with blood culture-negative IE who underwent heart valve surgery. Read More

QJM 2018 Aug 9. Epub 2018 Aug 9.

Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University Medical Center Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, CX, Utrecht.

Background: Chronic Q fever is accompanied by high mortality and morbidity, and requires prolonged antibiotic treatment. Little is known on long-term quality of life (LQOL) in chronic Q fever patients treated with antibiotics.

Aim: To identify patient and treatment-related factors associated with impaired LQOL in chronic Q fever patients treated with antibiotics, and to assess patients' perception on treatment. Read More

Health Secur 2018 Jul/Aug;16(4):224-238. Epub 2018 Aug 10.

Differentiating between illness caused by community-acquired respiratory pathogens versus infection by biothreat agents is a challenge. This review highlights respiratory and clinical features of category A and B potential biothreat agents that have respiratory features as their primary presenting signs and symptoms. Recent world events make such a reminder that the possibility of rare diseases and unlikely events can occur timely for clinicians, policymakers, and public health authorities. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018 Aug 7. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

2 Department of Infectious Diseases, Wollongong Hospital , New South Wales, Australia .

Background: Q fever is an infection caused by Coxiella burnetii, a zoonotic disease acquired from both wild and domestic animals. Northern rural New South Wales (NSW) communities in Australia have an increased risk of exposure to this organism. Both the acute and chronic phases of the infection are associated with significant morbidity, which is often increased by delayed recognition and treatment. Read More

J Vet Intern Med 2018 Aug 6. Epub 2018 Aug 6.

Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Infections caused by Coxiella burnetii, commonly referred to as coxiellosis when occurring in animals and Query fever when occurring in humans, are an important cause of abortions, decreased reproductive efficiency, and subclinical infections in ruminants. The organism also represents an important zoonotic concern associated with its ability to aerosolize easily and its low infectious dose. Available diagnostic tests have limited sensitivity, which combined with the absence of treatment options in animals and limited approaches to prevention, result in difficulty managing this agent for optimal animal health and zoonotic disease outcomes. Read More

Vet Microbiol 2018 Aug 15;222:7-10. Epub 2018 Jun 15.

Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Q fever is an important zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii. This study assessed the prevalence of C. burnetii DNA in blood samples of ruminants and identified the risk factors of infection. Read More

Appl Environ Microbiol 2018 Aug 3. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Department of Animal Health, NEIKER-Instituto Vasco de Investigación y Desarrollo Agrario, Derio, Bizkaia, Spain

This study describes a Q fever outbreak in a herd of 77 Alpine goats which suffered a high rate of abortions (81%, 58/72) in January 2017, and presents the results of monitoring contamination and viability of in the farm environment several months after the outbreak. Bacterial shedding was studied in 35 aborted dams during seven months to monitor infection dynamics and duration of excretion. The highest bacterial shedding load was observed in vaginal mucus, followed by feces and milk. Read More

Infect Immun 2018 Jul 30. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, United States of America.

is an obligate intracellular bacterium and the etiological agent of Q fever. Successful host cell infection requires the Type IVB Secretion System (T4BSS), which translocates bacterial effector proteins across the vacuole membrane into the host cytoplasm, where they manipulate a variety of cell processes. To identify host cell targets of T4BSS effector proteins, we determined the transcriptome of murine alveolar macrophages infected with a T4BSS effector mutant. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Jul 28. Epub 2018 Jul 28.

Research Unit in Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal Health (FARAH) Centre, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.

An emphasis on biosecurity in the cattle industry was made over the years to improve animal and public health. Nevertheless, the level of implementation of biosecurity measures (BSM) remains largely insufficient due to certain constraints. It is therefore necessary to prioritize the different BSM to be applied in accordance with the individual context and the main infectious diseases affecting cattle. Read More

J Infect Public Health 2018 Jul 23. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario de Burgos, Burgos, Spain.

Background: High anti-Coxiella burnetii phase I IgG titres are associated with chronic Q fever; an infectious disease with high mortality. Prognostic significance of lower or medium IgG phase I titres remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to explore this issue in a high-risk population. Read More

Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2018 Jul 19;60:e31. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Laboratório de Hantaviroses e Rickettsioses, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The increasing use of illicit drugs imposes a public health challenge worldwide. People who inject drugs (PWID) are more susceptible to health complications due to immunosuppression associated with drug use and non-hygienic self-administration of substances, contaminants, and liquids. PWID are subjected to increased risk of acquiring and transmitting different pathogens (frequently functioning as sentinel cases for (re)emerging pathogens), including those transmitted by arthropods and vertebrate reservoirs in unhealthy environments. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018 10;8:215. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Department of Clinical Microbiology and the Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.

Plague and tularemia are zoonoses and their causative bacteria are circulating in certain regions of Iran. This study was conducted to investigate potential disease reservoirs amongst small wildlife species in different regions of Iran. Rodents, insectivores and hares from 17 different provinces of the country were collected in 2014 and 2015. Read More

Infect Immun 2018 Jul 23. Epub 2018 Jul 23.

Department of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.

Cytokine responses of chronic Q fever patients to the intracellular bacterium have mostly been studied using ex-vivo stimulation of immune cells with heat-killed due to the extensive measures needed to work with viable BioSafety Level 3 agents. Whether research with heat-killed can be translated to immune responses to viable is imperative for the interpretation of previous and future studies with heat-killed Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of chronic Q fever patients (n=10) and healthy controls (n=10) were stimulated with heat-killed or viable of two strains, Nine Mile and the Dutch outbreak strain 3262 for 24 hours, 48 hours and 7 days, in the absence or presence of serum containing anti- antibodies. When stimulated with viable , PBMCs of chronic Q fever patients and controls produced less pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNFα, IL-1β) after 24 hours compared to stimulation with heat-killed In the presence of Q fever seronegative serum, IL-10 production was higher after stimulation with viable as compared to heat-killed , however when incubating with anti- antibodies serum, the effect on IL-10 production was reduced. Read More

Rev Esp Quimioter 2018 Jul 19. Epub 2018 Jul 19.

Prof. J. L Pérez Arellano, Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Medicina Tropical. Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria. Avda Marítima del Sur 35080. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Spain.

Q fever is an anthropozoonosis whose causative agent is Coxiella burnetii, which has an important impact from the human and animal health point of view. In this review, a brief historical reference of the infection by C. burnetii and Q fever has been made initially. Read More

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Apr 6;57:50-54. Epub 2018 Jun 6.

Aix-Marseille Univ, IRD, SSA, AP-HM, VITROME, IHU Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France. Electronic address:

Coxiella burnetii, is an obligate intracellular bacterium which is present throughout the world. In humans, C. burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever. Read More

PLoS One 2018 17;13(7):e0200813. Epub 2018 Jul 17.

Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.

In a recent study of electronic health records (EHR) of general practitioners in a livestock-dense area in The Netherlands in 2009, associations were found between residential distance to poultry farms and the occurrence of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In addition, in a recent cross-sectional study in 2494 adults in 2014/2015 an association between CAP and proximity to goat farms was observed. Here, we extended the 2009 EHR analyses across a wider period of time (2009-2013), a wider set of health effects, and a wider set of farm types as potential risk sources. Read More

Emerg Infect Dis 2018 Aug;24(8)

The epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii infection in the United States is not well characterized. We report a case-patient with C. burnetii endocarditis and meningitis. Read More

Clin Infect Dis 2018 Jul 9. Epub 2018 Jul 9.

Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, MEPHI, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France.

Transpl Infect Dis 2018 Jul 5:e12962. Epub 2018 Jul 5.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

To the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of pre-transplant unrecognized disseminated Coxiella burnetii infection, unmasked in the post-transplant period leading to both heart and kidney allograft dysfunction. A 59 year old man with a history of simultaneous heart-kidney transplantation due to end stage heart failure from severe aortic regurgitation (AR) and cryoglobulinemic immune complex mediated concentric necrotizing glomerulonephritis (GN), presents with a history of intermittent fevers and fatigue. Prior to transplantation he was treated for multiple episodes of culture negative endocarditis requiring bio-prosthetic valve replacement. Read More

Autophagy 2018 29;14(10):1710-1725. Epub 2018 Jul 29.

a Department of Microbiology and Immunology , University of Melbourne at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity , Melbourne , Victoria , Australia.

Coxiella burnetii is an intracellular bacterial pathogen which causes Q fever, a human infection with the ability to cause chronic disease with potentially life-threatening outcomes. In humans, Coxiella infects alveolar macrophages where it replicates to high numbers in a unique, pathogen-directed lysosome-derived vacuole. This compartment, termed the Coxiella-containing vacuole (CCV), has a low internal pH and contains markers both of lysosomes and autophagosomes. Read More

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2018 Jul 3. Epub 2018 Jul 3.

1 Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu , Viseu, Portugal .

Introduction: Q fever is an almost global zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. Human infections can produce acute and chronic disease that can lead to abortions and stillbirths in pregnant women, usually infected by the inhalation of C. burnetii-contaminated aerosols or through consumption of contaminated products. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2018 Aug 21;99(2):303-305. Epub 2018 Jun 21.

Hospital Central Aristarcho Pessoa-Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (CBMERJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

We report five cases of Q fever among cadets during a training program for Military Firefighters Academy in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This cluster confirms the significance of as an infectious agent in Brazil, where the occurrence of this zoonosis is poorly documented and highlights the potential risk for Q fever transmission in rural areas or farms with infected animals. Read More

Epidemiol Infect 2018 Jul 26;146(10):1240-1244. Epub 2018 Jun 26.

Quest Diagnostics,Secaucus,NJ,USA.

The objective of this study was to provide real-world clinical laboratory-based data to supplement Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting of Q fever. We analysed titre results of specimens submitted to a large US clinical laboratory for Coxiella burnetii IgG antibody testing from 2010 through 2016. Presumptive Q fever was defined as acute (phase II IgG titre ⩾1:128, phase I titre <1:1024) or chronic (phase I IgG titre ⩾1:1024), based on the results from a single serum specimen. Read More

Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018 8;8:192. Epub 2018 Jun 8.

State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China.

Lipid A is an essential basal component of lipopolysaccharide of most Gram-negative bacteria. Inhibitors targeting LpxC, a conserved enzyme in lipid A biosynthesis, are antibiotic candidates against Gram-negative pathogens. Here we report the characterization of the role of lipid A in growth in axenic media, monkey kidney cells (BGMK and Vero), and macrophage-like THP-1 cells by using a potent LpxC inhibitor -LPC-011. Read More

Curr Protoc Microbiol 2018 Aug 18;50(1):e52. Epub 2018 May 18.

Paul G. Allen School for Global Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington.

Coxiella burnetii is a highly infectious obligate intracellular bacterium and the etiological agent of the zoonosis Query (Q) fever. This Gram-negative gamma-proteobacterium has adapted to replicate within a specialized compartment in mammalian phagocytic cells, known as the Coxiella-containing vacuole (CCV). Knowledge of critical characteristics of the CCV microenvironment (e. Read More

New Microbes New Infect 2018 Jul 2;24:8-13. Epub 2018 Mar 2.

French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES), Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Animal Q Fever Unit, Sophia Antipolis, France.

is a small Gram-negative intracellular bacterium and is the causative agent of Q fever, which is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution. Domesticated ruminants are the main reservoir of the disease, but the bacterium is able to infect a wide range of hosts, including humans, arthropods and invertebrates. Virulence studies of strains usually require a suitable animal model. Read More

Microbes Infect 2018 Jun 18. Epub 2018 Jun 18.

Living Systems Institute, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QD United Kingdom.

One Health is an effective approach for the management of zoonotic disease in humans, animals and environments. Examples of the management of bacterial zoonoses in Europe and across the globe demonstrate that One Health approaches of international surveillance, information-sharing and appropriate intervention methods are required to successfully prevent and control disease outbreaks in both endemic and non-endemic regions. Additionally, a One Health approach enables effective preparation and response to bioterrorism threats. Read More

One Health 2018 Jun 28;5:40-45. Epub 2017 Nov 28.

Institute of Health and Society (IRSS), Université catholique de Louvain, Clos Chapelle aux champs, 30, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium.

The burden of human diseases in populations, or for an individual, is frequently estimated in terms of one of a number of Health Adjusted Life Years (HALYs). The Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) is a widely accepted HALY metric and is used by the World Health Organization and the Global Burden of Disease studies. Many human diseases are of animal origin and often cause ill health and production losses in domestic animals. Read More

Eur J Intern Med 2018 08 19;54:6-12. Epub 2018 Jun 19.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Radboud university medical center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Radboud Expert Center for Q fever, Radboud university medical center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address:

Q fever infection can lead to chronic Q fever, a potentially lethal disease occurring in 1-5% of patients infected with Coxiella burnetii, characterized by the persistence of this intracellular bacterium. It usually presents as endocarditis, infected vascular aneurysms, or infected vascular prostheses. This systematic review of the literature discusses the various autoimmune syndromes and B-cell dyscrasias in acute and chronic Q fever patients, that may interfere with or impede recognition and diagnosis of Q fever. Read More

J Clin Microbiol 2018 Sep 27;56(9). Epub 2018 Aug 27.

Aix Marseille Université, IRD, AP-HM, MEPHI, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France

Endocarditis and vascular infections are common manifestations of persistent localized infection due to , and recently, fluorescence hybridization (FISH) was proposed as an alternative tool for their diagnosis. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of FISH in a series of valve and vascular samples infected by We tested 23 -positive valves and thrombus samples obtained from patients with Q fever endocarditis. Seven aneurysms and thrombus specimens were retrieved from patients with Q fever vascular infections. Read More

J Spec Oper Med Summer 2018;18(2):136-140

Military personnel are at an increased risk for exposure to arthropod- borne and zoonotic pathogens. The prevalence of these pathogens has not been adequately described in the country of Georgia. As the Georgian military moves toward an increased level of capability and the adoption of European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization standards, international field exercises will become more frequent and will likely involve an increasing number of international partners. Read More

Med Clin (Barc) 2018 Jun 7. Epub 2018 Jun 7.

Departamento d Enfermedades Infecciosas, Corporació Hospital Parc Taulí de Sabadell, Sabadell, Barcelona, España.

Int J Infect Dis 2018 Aug 4;73:27-29. Epub 2018 Jun 4.

Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, APHM, MEPHI, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France. Electronic address:

Coxiella burnetii acromioclavicular infection is a new infectious focus, evidenced here for the first time using the gold standard, culture. Positron emission tomography had a crucial role in identifying the deep infectious focus, even when C. burnetii serological titres were low. Read More

Aust Vet J 2018 Jun;96(6):223-230

Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Objective: To describe the epidemiological and clinical features of acute Q fever in Victoria from 1994 to 2013.

Design: Retrospective case series and spatiotemporal analyses of human notification data.

Methods: Records for all confirmed cases of Q fever in Victoria notified between 1994 and 2013 were reviewed. Read More

PLoS One 2018 1;13(6):e0198421. Epub 2018 Jun 1.

Sydney School of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Science, the University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.

Q fever vaccine uptake among veterinary nurses in Australia is low, suggesting veterinarians are not recommending the vaccination to veterinary personnel. This study aimed to determine the willingness of veterinarians to recommend Q fever vaccination to veterinary personnel and to identify factors influencing Q fever vaccine uptake by veterinary nurses in Australia. An online cross sectional survey targeted veterinarians and veterinary nurses in Australia in 2014. Read More

Lancet Infect Dis 2018 Jun;18(6):603

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Radboud Expert Centre for Q Fever, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen 6500 HB, Netherlands.

MMW Fortschr Med 2018 May;160(10):41-44

Sektion Klinische Infektiologie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik IV, Campus Innenstadt, Klinikum der Universität, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Deutschland.

Biomed Res Int 2018 12;2018:6417354. Epub 2018 Apr 12.

Huadong Research Institute for Medicine and Biotechniques, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.

, a global-distributed biological warfare agent, is the causative agent of Q fever. Correct diagnosis of Q fever is challenging and developing a fast, simple, and reliable detection method is necessary. In this study, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay combined with lateral flow (LF) test was developed targeting 23S rRNA gene of Xinqiao strain. Read More

Neth J Med 2018 May;76(4):184-189

National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands.

Introduction: Between 2007 and 2010, the Netherlands experienced large outbreaks of Q fever with over 4000 cases. There were unexplained geographical differences in hospitalisation rates of notified patients. We examined the extent of this geographic variation in Q fever hospitalisation and its potential association with general practitioner (GP) experience with Q fever. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2018 May 29;14(1):171. Epub 2018 May 29.

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise "G. Caporale", Campo Boario, 64100, Teramo, Italy.

Background: As the epidemiology of human Q Fever generally reflects the spread of Coxiella burnetii in ruminant livestock, molecular characterization of strains is essential to prevent human outbreaks. In this study we report the genetic diversity of C. burnetii in central Italy accomplished by MST and MLVA-6 on biological samples from 20 goat, sheep and cow farms. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2018 Jul 26;37(7):1385-1391. Epub 2018 May 26.

Radboud Expertise Center for Q fever, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases 463, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500, HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Approximately 20% of patients with acute Q fever develop Q fever fatigue syndrome (QFS), a debilitating fatigue syndrome. This study further investigates the role of C. burnetii-specific IFNγ, but also IL-2, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXLC11 production in QFS patients. Read More

Transbound Emerg Dis 2018 Aug 25;65(4):972-975. Epub 2018 May 25.

Agrarian Superior School, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Viseu, Portugal.

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic infectious disease caused by Coxiella burnetii and sheep and goats are known to be the main reservoir for human infection. This study describes the epidemiological and laboratory findings of C. burnetii outbreaks affecting sheep and goat flocks and also provides the results of a prospective serosurvey in bulk tank milk samples to assess C. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 May 15;18(1):218. Epub 2018 May 15.

UQ Spatial Epidemiology Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia.

Background: Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. This bacterium survives harsh conditions and attaches to dust, suggesting environmental dispersal is a risk factor for outbreaks. Spatial epidemiology studies collating evidence on Q fever geographical contamination gradients are needed, as human cases without occupational exposure are increasing worldwide. Read More

Clin Drug Investig 2018 Aug;38(8):653-671

Department of Clinical Experimental Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, IFO, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy.

The process of finding new therapeutic indications for currently used drugs, defined as 'repurposing', is receiving growing attention. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, with an original indication to prevent or cure malaria, have been successfully used to treat several infectious (HIV, Q fever, Whipple's disease, fungal infections), rheumatological (systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome), and other immunological diseases. Indeed, they have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, anti-infective, antithrombotic, and metabolic effects. Read More