HIGH-INCIDENCE OF COXIELLA-BURNETII MARKERS IN A RURAL-POPULATION IN FRANCE

Since Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, is often tran smitted from goats and sheep to humans through aerosols, we examined t he sera from 168 persons involved in goat breeding in the Centre regio n of France and 40 members of veterinary and medical staff from the sa me region for the presence of antibodies against C. burnetii. An immun ofluorescence assay was used to detect the presence of antibodies of t he IgG isotope against epitopes from phase II of C. burnetii, which ar e the first antibodies to appear in infected people, and from phase I, which reflect more chronic stages of the infection. Our serological s urvey showed that most of the tested sera were positive for C. burneti i markers, indicating at least an encounter with the bacterium. In the overall population of 208 subjects, 71% of the sera had antibodies ag ainst phase II epitopes (titres greater than or equal to 1:40). Among the goat farmers and their immediate families, 78% had antibodies agai nst phase II and 33% against phase I (titres greater than or equal to 1:40). Considering only high titres (greater than or equal to 1:320), though, only 37% of the farmers had antibodies against phase II and 15 % against phase I. Only 3 out of 12 veterinarians working in the field had high titres of antibodies against phase II and phase I, while non e of 28 members of veterinary and medical laboratories had significant levels of antibodies. These results emphasize the need for closer sur veillance of populations at risk for Q fever, to prevent the infection by C. burnetii from reaching chronic stages of the disease.