PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Alhetheel, Abdulkarim F.
AU  - Binkhamis, Khalifa
AU  - Somily, Ali
AU  - Barry, Mazin
AU  - Shakoor, Zahid
TI  - Screening for Q fever
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2018.12.23695
DP  - 2018 Dec 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1195--1199
VI  - 39
IP  - 12
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/39/12/1195.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/39/12/1195.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2018 Dec 01; 39
AB  - Objectives: To evaluate the presence of Coxiella burnetii (C. brunetii) infection among patients presenting with fever of unknown origin (FUO).Methods: A cross-sectional study of 100 patients (54 men and 46 women; mean age: 34.3 ± 19.2 years) with FUO was conducted at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between March 2015 and June 2016. Phase 1 and phase 2 C. burnetii-specific antibodies in serum samples were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: Coxiella burnetii phase 1 and phase 2 antibodies were detected in 16% of the patients. Phase 2 IgM was present in 2% of the patients, whereas phase 2 IgG antibodies were detected in 11% of the patients. Coxiella burnetii-specific phase 1 IgG was found in 2% of the patients, and 8% of the patients harbored phase 1 IgA antibodies in their serum.Conclusion: The presence of C. burnetii-specific antibodies in many patients suffering from FUO highlights the importance of Q fever screening among patients presenting with febrile illness.