Abstract:Abstract. Q fever in French Guiana is correlated with the rainy season. We found a 1-to 2-month lagged correlation between Q fever incidence and the number of births of three-toed sloth. This result strengthens the hypothesis that the three-toed sloth is the wild reservoir of Q fever in French Guiana.
“…In a recent study, C. burnetii was detected by qPCR in the ticks, spleen, and stools of a dead three-toed sloth in Cayenne (84). In addition, the incidence of acute Q fever in Cayenne is correlated with the rainy season, and we observed a 1-to 2-month lag in the correlation between the incidence of acute Q fever and the number of births of three-toed sloths in Cayenne (85). Also, a retrospective study of an outbreak in a military camp in Cayenne in 2013 found that having carried a three-toed sloth in the arms in the month preceding symptoms was an independent risk factor for acute Q fever (unpublished data).…”
Section: The Different Epidemiological Profilessupporting
confidence: 46%
“…Rates of up to 20.8% seroprevalence for C. burnetii have been observed in macropods (140). In Cayenne, acute Q fever incidence is the highest in July, with a 2-month correlation following a peak in rainfall in May, which is the breeding season of the three-toed sloth, which is a probable wild reservoir of the infection (85).…”
Section: Seasonality Patterns and The Role Of Windmentioning
Coxiella burnetii is the agent of Q fever, or "query fever," a zoonosis first described in Australia in 1937. Since this first description, knowledge about this pathogen and its associated infections has increased dramatically. We review here all the progress made over the last 20 years on this topic. C. burnetii is classically a strict intracellular, Gram-negative bacterium. However, a major step in the characterization of this pathogen was achieved by the establishment of its axenic culture. C. burnetii infects a wide range of animals, from arthropods to humans. The genetic determinants of virulence are now better known, thanks to the achievement of determining the genome sequences of several strains of this species and comparative genomic analyses. Q fever can be found worldwide, but the epidemiological features of this disease vary according to the geographic area considered, including situations where it is endemic or hyperendemic, and the occurrence of large epidemic outbreaks. In recent years, a major breakthrough in the understanding of the natural history of human infection with C. burnetii was the breaking of the old dichotomy between "acute" and "chronic" Q fever. The clinical presentation of C. burnetii infection depends on both the virulence of the infecting C. burnetii strain and specific risks factors in the infected patient. Moreover, no persistent infection can exist without a focus of infection. This paradigm change should allow better diagnosis and management of primary infection and long-term complications in patients with C. burnetii infection.
“…In a recent study, C. burnetii was detected by qPCR in the ticks, spleen, and stools of a dead three-toed sloth in Cayenne (84). In addition, the incidence of acute Q fever in Cayenne is correlated with the rainy season, and we observed a 1-to 2-month lag in the correlation between the incidence of acute Q fever and the number of births of three-toed sloths in Cayenne (85). Also, a retrospective study of an outbreak in a military camp in Cayenne in 2013 found that having carried a three-toed sloth in the arms in the month preceding symptoms was an independent risk factor for acute Q fever (unpublished data).…”
Section: The Different Epidemiological Profilessupporting
confidence: 46%
“…Rates of up to 20.8% seroprevalence for C. burnetii have been observed in macropods (140). In Cayenne, acute Q fever incidence is the highest in July, with a 2-month correlation following a peak in rainfall in May, which is the breeding season of the three-toed sloth, which is a probable wild reservoir of the infection (85).…”
Section: Seasonality Patterns and The Role Of Windmentioning
Coxiella burnetii is the agent of Q fever, or "query fever," a zoonosis first described in Australia in 1937. Since this first description, knowledge about this pathogen and its associated infections has increased dramatically. We review here all the progress made over the last 20 years on this topic. C. burnetii is classically a strict intracellular, Gram-negative bacterium. However, a major step in the characterization of this pathogen was achieved by the establishment of its axenic culture. C. burnetii infects a wide range of animals, from arthropods to humans. The genetic determinants of virulence are now better known, thanks to the achievement of determining the genome sequences of several strains of this species and comparative genomic analyses. Q fever can be found worldwide, but the epidemiological features of this disease vary according to the geographic area considered, including situations where it is endemic or hyperendemic, and the occurrence of large epidemic outbreaks. In recent years, a major breakthrough in the understanding of the natural history of human infection with C. burnetii was the breaking of the old dichotomy between "acute" and "chronic" Q fever. The clinical presentation of C. burnetii infection depends on both the virulence of the infecting C. burnetii strain and specific risks factors in the infected patient. Moreover, no persistent infection can exist without a focus of infection. This paradigm change should allow better diagnosis and management of primary infection and long-term complications in patients with C. burnetii infection.
“…burnetii MST 17 has been detected in the spleen, stools, and ticks of a dead sloth near a recent outbreak site [ 34 ]. In addition, Q fever incidence was correlated with three-toed sloth birth numbers 1–2 months before, peaking during the rainy season in French Guiana [ 35 ]. However, for many animal species in French Guiana reproduction is related to the rainy season.…”
Section: The Singular Epidemiology Of Q Fever In French Guianamentioning
“…Several risk factors have been identified such as living near forested areas and practicing activities resulting in inhalation of aerosols of dusts [3]. In contrast, no link with classical sources of C. burnetii (cattle, sheep, or goat birth products) has been ever identified and a wild reservoir has been suspected [2,3,6,7].…”
A Q fever epidemic occurred in 2013 in a small military residential area in Cayenne, French Guiana. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify Q fever risk factors. Confirmed acute Q fever case was defined as positive serology (IgM ≥ 50 and phase II IgG ≥ 200) and/or positive qPCR on serum or blood. In addition, wild mammals were captured at the study site and tested by serology and real-time PCR performed on blood, vaginal swabs and ticks. The attack rate was 20 percent (11/54). All the cases were symptomatic with fever >38.5 °C and community-acquired pneumonia for four cases. Log binomial multivariate models identified two independent risk factors associated with Q fever: to clean the house (RRa = 7.5 CI95% [1.03-55.3]) and to carry a three-toed sloth in arms (RRa = 2.6 CI95% [1.1-5.8]). Eighteen marsupial individuals were captured, all PCRs were negative but 17% (3/18) had a positive serology. Another study conducted after the epidemic found only one (1/4) three-tooth sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) with feces highly infectious for C. burnetii MST17. The same strain C. burnetii genotype 17 has been laboratory- confirmed in this mammal and in human cases. These results support the implication of three-toed-sloth in this epidemic. Human contamination mainly occurs through inhalation of infectious aerosols as suggested by high relative risk associated with house cleaning activities and pulmonary forms of the disease, and through direct contact with three- toed-sloth. Positive serological results among marsupials confirm wildlife exposure and suggest a more complex sylvatic transmission cycle among wild mammals.
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