Q-FEVER IN A PATIENT WITH A VENTRICULO-PERITONEAL DRAIN - CASE-REPORTAND SHORT REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Although Q-fever is still a relatively rare disease in the Netherlands , its incidence seems to be increasing. In this article we describe th e case-history of a 65-year-old woman with a Pudenz-drain, who acquire d Q-fever pneumonia while manuring her garden. The course of the disea se was deviant, which most likely was caused by colonization of the ve ntriculo-peritoneal drain with Coxiella burnetii. Q-fever usually pres ents as a self-limiting illness. In the case of chronic Q-fever, compl ications such as endocarditis, hepatitis or meningo-encephalitis can b e fatal and require long-term treatment. Patients with artificial drai ns or valves carry a greater risk of developing such complications. Th erefore, especially in patients at risk, Q-fever should be included in the differential diagnosis when dealing with a patient with unexplain ed fever.