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Occupationally Acquired Q Fever in Shepherds and Sheep Milk Cheesemakers

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Abstract

Q fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, and transmission to humans is often associated with contact with ovine and caprine livestock. Those exposed to sheep are particularly at high risk of infection. Recent studies show that Q fever is increasing in sheep farms in Portugal raising alerts on spillover to humans. We detected anti-C. burnetii IgG in shepherds and sheep milk cheesemakers (27 [28.1%] in a total of 96; 95% confidence interval [CI] 19.4–38.2%) and in controls (21 [8.1%] in a total of 260; 95% CI 5.1–12.1%), pointing to an increased risk of C. burnetii infection (P = 0.0001), with an odds ratio for anti-C. burnetii of 4.45 (95% CI 2.4–8.4%; P = 0.0001), in individuals with occupational contact with sheep in Portugal.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to acknowledge CI&DETS Research Centre through projects HEVrum PROJ/IPV/ID&I/001 and HEALTHYValorWhey PROJ/CI&DETS/CGD/007. Authors would also like to acknowledge FCT through project SBVEPS (Proc. 441.00 SERVIA) and project UID/AGR/04033/2019.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Studies in Education and Health Technologies (CI&DETS), Agrarian School of Viseu, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3500-606, Viseu, Portugal

    Rita Cruz, Carla Santos, Fernando Esteves, Carmen Vasconcelos-Nóbrega, Cristina Mega, Edite Teixeira-de-Lemos & Helena Vala

  2. Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Oporto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal

    Ana Sofia Ferreira

  3. Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801, Vila Real, Portugal

    Carmen Vasconcelos-Nóbrega, Cristina Mega & Helena Vala

  4. Health Superior School, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, UNICISA-E, CIEC, CI&DEI, Viseu, Portugal

    Carlos Albuquerque

  5. Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801, Vila Real, Portugal

    Ana Cláudia Coelho

  6. Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit), Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-313, Porto, Portugal

    João Rodrigo Mesquita

  7. Abel Salazar Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    João Rodrigo Mesquita

Authors
  1. Rita Cruz
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  2. Carla Santos
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  3. Fernando Esteves
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  4. Ana Sofia Ferreira
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  5. Carmen Vasconcelos-Nóbrega
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  6. Cristina Mega
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  7. Carlos Albuquerque
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  8. Edite Teixeira-de-Lemos
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  9. Ana Cláudia Coelho
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  10. Helena Vala
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  11. João Rodrigo Mesquita
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to João Rodrigo Mesquita.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Cruz, R., Santos, C., Esteves, F. et al. Occupationally Acquired Q Fever in Shepherds and Sheep Milk Cheesemakers. EcoHealth 17, 255–257 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-020-01483-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-020-01483-y

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