RECURRENT PERICARDIALA EFFUSION DUE TO CH RONIC Q-FEVER INFECTION IN A 7 YEAR-OLD BOY

Q-fever is an infection caused by coxiella burnetti. Whilst the acute form of the infection appears with uncharacteristic, influenca-like sy mptoms,the chronic form shows symptoms of endocarditis mostly in patie nts with congenital heart disease, valvular disorders, or during immun osupression. Our patient, a 7 year old boy with congenital heart defec t, developed a large pericardial effusion associated with high antibod y levels as observed in chronic Q-fever. Discussion:This is reported t o be extremely rare in childhood. The adequate antibiotic treatment in paediatric patients seems to be the combination of erythromycin and r ifampicin;the optimal duration of the antibiotic therapy remains undet ermined, one year should be the minimum. The absence of phase I IgA an d phase I IgG titers less than 400 seems to indicate definite cure.