Q fever pneumoniae following a trip in French Guyana

Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis but is not often a common cause of fever am ong travellers returning from the tropics. We report a case of acute Q fever revealed by a pneumonia and acquired by a traveller in French Guyana. The chest radiography showed alveolar opacitie s and pleural effusion. Biological abnormalities were elevated liver enzyme levels and thrombocytopenia. The patient improved or the third day of anti biotic treatment. She mentioned that 3 other people she lived with during h er trip had been diagnosed with Q fever. A common source outbreak was then suspected. They all stayed in the same farm in French Guyana. Animal exposu re occurred there, in particular with a goat and a dog (both were parturien t), The disease was probably transmitted by airborne dust to our patient, a s no other vectors of transmission were found. Since the clinical presentat ion of Q fever is not specific, in order for the physician to diagnose it, he must have an awareness of the disease. Our case emphasised that looking for risk factors of Coxiella burnetii exposures is particularly important. Amongst them, the most important seems to be contact with farm animals. The clinician should thus try to trace such a possible contact when treating a case of traveler's Q fever.