Biomaterial Database

Q fever epidemic in Cayenne, French Guiana, epidemiologically linked to three-toed sloth. 2018

Vincent Pommier de Santi, and Sébastien Briolant, and Aba Mahamat, and Carole Ilcinkas, and Denis Blanchet, and Benoit de Thoisy, and Yann Reynaud, and Georges Hyvert, and Jean-Lou Marié, and Sophie Edouard, and Bernard Davoust, and Didier Raoult

Military Center for Epidemiology and Public health, CESPA, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, AP-HM, SSA, VITROME, IHU-Méditerranée Infection, Marseille, France. Electronic address: pommierdesantiv@imtssa.fr.

A Q fever epidemic occurred in 2013 in a small military residential area in Cayenne, French Guiana. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify Q fever risk factors. Confirmed acute Q fever case was defined as positive serology (IgM ≥ 50 and phase II IgG ≥ 200) and/or positive qPCR on serum or blood. In addition, wild mammals were captured at the study site and tested by serology and real-time PCR performed on blood, vaginal swabs and ticks. The attack rate was 20 percent (11/54). All the cases were symptomatic with fever >38.5 °C and community-acquired pneumonia for four cases. Log binomial multivariate models identified two independent risk factors associated with Q fever: to clean the house (RRa = 7.5 CI95% [1.03-55.3]) and to carry a three-toed sloth in arms (RRa = 2.6 CI95% [1.1-5.8]). Eighteen marsupial individuals were captured, all PCRs were negative but 17% (3/18) had a positive serology. Another study conducted after the epidemic found only one (1/4) three-tooth sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) with feces highly infectious for C. burnetii MST17. The same strain C. burnetii genotype 17 has been laboratory- confirmed in this mammal and in human cases. These results support the implication of three-toed-sloth in this epidemic. Human contamination mainly occurs through inhalation of infectious aerosols as suggested by high relative risk associated with house cleaning activities and pulmonary forms of the disease, and through direct contact with three- toed-sloth. Positive serological results among marsupials confirm wildlife exposure and suggest a more complex sylvatic transmission cycle among wild mammals.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007223	Infant	A child between 1 and 23 months of age.	Infants
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011778	Q Fever	An acute infectious disease caused by COXIELLA BURNETII. It is characterized by a sudden onset of FEVER; HEADACHE; malaise; and weakness. In humans, it is commonly contracted by inhalation of infected dusts derived from infected domestic animals (ANIMALS, DOMESTIC).	Coxiella burnetii Fever,Query Fever,Acute Q Fever,Chronic Q Fever,Coxiella burnetii Infection,Coxiella burnetii Vector-Borne Disease,Acute Q Fevers,Chronic Q Fevers,Coxiella burnetii Fevers,Coxiella burnetii Infections,Coxiella burnetii Vector Borne Disease,Fever, Acute Q,Fever, Chronic Q,Fever, Coxiella burnetii,Fever, Q,Fever, Query,Fevers, Acute Q,Fevers, Chronic Q,Fevers, Coxiella burnetii,Fevers, Q,Fevers, Query,Infection, Coxiella burnetii,Infections, Coxiella burnetii,Q Fever, Acute,Q Fever, Chronic,Q Fevers,Q Fevers, Acute,Q Fevers, Chronic,Query Fevers
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004197	Disease Reservoirs	Animate or inanimate sources which normally harbor disease-causing organisms and thus serve as potential sources of disease outbreaks. Reservoirs are distinguished from vectors (DISEASE VECTORS) and carriers, which are agents of disease transmission rather than continuing sources of potential disease outbreaks. Humans may serve both as disease reservoirs and carriers.	Disease Reservoir,Human Disease Reservoirs,Infectious Disease Reservoir,Reservoirs of Infection,Infectious Disease Reservoirs,Disease Reservoir, Human,Disease Reservoir, Infectious,Disease Reservoirs, Human,Human Disease Reservoir,Infection Reservoir,Infection Reservoirs,Reservoir, Disease,Reservoir, Infectious Disease,Reservoirs, Human Disease
D005260	Female		Females
D005616	French Guiana	A French overseas department on the northeast coast of South America. Its capital is Cayenne. It was first settled by the French in 1604. Early development was hindered because of the presence of a penal colony. The name of the country and the capital are variants of Guyana, possibly from the native Indian Guarani guai (born) + ana (kin), implying a united and interrelated race of people. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p418 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p195)
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man