Outbreak of Q fever associated with a horse-boarding ranch, Colorado, 2005.
Abstract: Coxiella burnetii is a bacterium located worldwide that can cause Q fever when inhaled. We describe an outbreak of Q fever associated with a horse-boarding ranch that had acquired two herds of goats. We conducted case finding and cohort studies among persons who boarded horses on the ranch and ranchers and among residents in the surrounding community, and conducted sampling of the goats and environment, to determine risk factors for infection and guide public health interventions. Sixty-six ranchers and persons who boarded horses on the ranch were interviewed; 62 (94%) were not professional ranchers. Twenty persons (53%) of 38 persons tested had evidence of infection with C. burnetii. Contact with goats was associated with seropositivity, including having helped birth goats (relative risk [RR] 2.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6-3.6), having had contact with newborn goats (RR 2.3, CI 1.2-4.3), having vaccinated goats (RR 2.1, CI 1.3-3.5), having had contact with stillbirths or newborns that died (RR 2.1, CI 1.2-3.7), and having fed goats (RR 2.1, CI 1.0-4.3). Among 138 tested persons living within 1 mile of the ranch, 11 (8%) demonstrated evidence of C. burnetii infection; eight seropositive persons (73%) had no direct contact with the ranch. Testing of the soil and goats with an IS1111 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay confirmed the presence of C. burnetii among the herd and in the environment. This outbreak of Q fever was caused by exposure to infected goats, but exposure to the environment likely played a secondary role. Laypersons should not participate in the birthing process of goats; professionals who come into contact with birthing goats should be educated on reducing their infection risk. This is the first time an IS1111 PCR assay has been used in an outbreak investigation in the United States.
Publication Date: 2007-09-28 PubMed ID: 17896873DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2007.0104Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- P.H.S.
Summary
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This study investigates an outbreak of Q fever caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, associated with a horse-boarding ranch in Colorado that also kept goats. Findings revealed that exposure to goats greatly increased the risk of infection, and it was suggested that precautions be taken by both laypeople and professionals involved in the birthing process of goats.
Research Methodology
- The researchers carried out case finding and cohort studies among individuals who were in regular contact with the ranch or resided in its immediate surrounding community to identify factors associated with the risk of infection and to provide guidance on public health interventions.
- They collected samples from the goats and their environment using an IS1111 PCR assay, a highly sensitive tool for detecting the C. burnetii bacteria.
Findings and Statistics
- A total of 66 individuals, who either were ranchers or boarded horses at the ranch, participated in the study. About 94% of these respondents were not professional ranchers.
- Out of 38 people tested, 20 (or 53%) showed evidence of infection with C. burnetii. Notably, contact with goats was significantly associated with seropositivity (presence of antibodies against the bacteria).
- Various activities involving goats were associated with a higher relative risk of infection, including assisting in goat births, contact with newborn goats or ones that died, vaccinating goats, and feeding goats.
- In a wider sampling, 11 out of 138 people living within a mile of the ranch (8%) showed signs of infection. Interestingly, nearly three-quarters of these infected individuals reported no direct contact with the ranch.
- The IS1111 PCR assay confirmed the presence of C. burnetii, both among the goat herd and in the environment around the ranch.
Implications and Recommendations
- The study concluded that the primary outbreak of Q fever was due to exposure to infected goats, with environmental exposure possibly playing a secondary role.
- The researchers recommended that laypeople should avoid partaking in the birthing process of goats due to the potential risk of infection. Furthermore, they urged that professionals who need to engage in such activities should receive education on methods to reduce their risk of infection.
- This study also marked the first time an IS1111 PCR assay was used in a outbreak investigation in the United States, proving it a valuable tool in identifying and managing similar public health concerns.
Cite This Article
APA
Bamberg WM, Pape WJ, Beebe JL, Nevin-Woods C, Ray W, Maguire H, Nucci J, Massung RF, Gershman K.
(2007).
Outbreak of Q fever associated with a horse-boarding ranch, Colorado, 2005.
Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 7(3), 394-402.
https://doi.org/10.1089/vbz.2007.0104 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Epidemic Intelligence Service, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. wendy.bamberg@epchealth.org
MeSH Terms
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Animals
- Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Colorado / epidemiology
- Coxiella burnetii / isolation & purification
- Coxiella burnetii / physiology
- Disease Outbreaks
- Environmental Microbiology
- Female
- Goat Diseases / blood
- Goat Diseases / epidemiology
- Goats
- Horses
- Humans
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Q Fever / blood
- Q Fever / epidemiology
- Risk Factors
- Seroepidemiologic Studies
Citations
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