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Q FEVER IN CHILDREN IN GREECE

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence, epidemiology, and clinical manifestations of Q fever among hospitalized children in Greece. During a two-year period, 1,200 children with various clinical manifestations were prospectively tested for Coxiella burnetii infection by indirect immunofluorescence. Acute Q fever was diagnosed in eight (0.67%) patients. No chronic case of infection was detected. Multivariate analysis showed that children 11–14 years old and children reporting consumption of cheese from rural areas were at increased risk for this illness. Clinical manifestations of acute Q fever were pneumonia (two patients), meningitis (two), prolonged fever (two), hepatitis (one), and hemolytic-uremic syndrome (one). Q fever accounted for 2.9% of the cases with prolonged fever, 1.2% of the cases of meningitis, and 0.5% of the cases of pneumonia. Fever and headache were the most common symptoms at presentation. Our study indicates that Q fever is a rare cause of hospitalization during childhood.

Received January 18, 2003. Accepted for publication November 17, 2003.

Financial support: Helen C. Maltezou is the 2001 recipient of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases Fellowship Award. This award was sponsored by Wyeth-Lederle Vaccine and Pediatrics.

Authors’ addresses: Helen C. Maltezou, University of Athens Second Department of Pediatrics, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Athens, 11527 Greece, Telephone: 30-210-9622-350, E-mail: helen-maltezou{at}ath.forthnet.gr. Ioanna Constantopoulou, University of Athens Second Department of Pediatrics, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Athens, 11527 Greece, Telephone: 30-210-2828-337. Constantina Kallergi, Microbiology Laboratory, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Athens, 11527 Greece, Telephone: 30-210-7758-890. Vasiliki Vlahou, University of Athens Second Department of Pediatrics, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Athens, 11527 Greece, Telephone: 30-27440-22888. Dimitris Gerogakopoulos, Department of Cardiology, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Athens, 11527 Greece, Telephone: 30-210-7775-611. Dimitris A. Kafetzis, University of Athens Second Department of Pediatrics, P. & A. Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, Athens, 11527 Greece, Telephone: 30-210-7775-349, E-mail: kafetzis{at}ath.forthnet.gr. Didier Raoult, Unité des Rickettsies, Unité Mixte de Recherche 6020, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France, Telephone: 33-491-324-411, Fax: 33-491-387-772, E-mail: Didier.Raoult{at}medecine.univ-mrs.fr.

Reprint requests: Didier Raoult, Unité des Rickettsies, Unité Mixte de Recherche 6020, Institut Fédératif de Recherche 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France.