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Markers of infection in inpatients and outpatients with acute Q-fever

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Published/Copyright: September 25, 2009
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
From the journal Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Volume 47 Issue 11

Abstract

Background: Query-fever (Q-fever) is a zoonotic infection caused by the intracellular Gram-negative coccobacillus Coxiella burnetii. A large ongoing outbreak of Q-fever has been reported in the Netherlands. We studied various markers of infection in inpatients (hospitalised) and outpatients (treated by a general physician) with acute Q-fever in relation to disease severity.

Methods: Leukocyte counts, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) concentrations were measured in 25 inpatients and 40 outpatients upon presentation with acute Q-fever. Chest X-rays, if available, were analysed and confusion, urea, respiratory rate, blood pressure-age 65 (CURB-65) scores, indicating severity of pneumonia, were calculated.

Results: CRP was the only marker that significantly differentiated between inpatients and outpatients. It was increased in all patients from both groups. Leukocyte counts and PCT concentrations did not differ between inpatients and outpatients. Overall, only 13/65 patients had an increased leukocyte count and only 11/65 patients presented with PCT concentrations indicative of possible bacterial respiratory tract infection. Infiltrative changes on the chest X-ray were observed in the majority of patients. CURB-65 score was 0±1 (mean±SD).

Conclusions: Acute Q-fever, a relatively mild pneumonia with low CURB-65 scores, specifically induces a response in CRP, while PCT concentrations and leukocytes are within the normal range or increased only marginally.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:1407–9.

Keywords: acute Query-fever (Q-fever); C-reactive protein; infection markers; leukocyte count; procalcitonin
Corresponding author: Norbert C.J. de Wit, Laboratory for Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Postbus 90153, 5200 ME 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands
Received: 2009-4-23
Accepted: 2009-7-24
Published Online: 2009-09-25
Published in Print: 2009-11-01

©2009 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

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https://doi.org/10.1515/CCLM.2009.307
Keywords for this article
acute Query-fever (Q-fever); C-reactive protein; infection markers; leukocyte count; procalcitonin

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Editorial
  2. The journal impact factor: navigating between Scylla and Charybdis
  3. Opinion Papers
  4. Journal Impact Factor: it will go away soon
  5. The Journal Impact Factor: don't expect its demise any time soon
  6. Reviews
  7. Discordant total and free prostate-specific antigen (PSA) assays: does calibration with WHO reference materials diminish the problem?
  8. Molecular diagnostics in acute leukemias
  9. Opinion Paper
  10. Considerations for the development of a reference method for sequencing of haploid DNA – an opinion paper on behalf of the IFCC Committee on Molecular Diagnostics. International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  11. General Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
  12. Meta-analyses of diagnostic studies
  13. Development and implementation of an automatic system for verification, validation and delivery of laboratory test results
  14. Comparison of visual vs. automated detection of lipemic, icteric and hemolyzed specimens: can we rely on a human eye?
  15. Prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity and subclinical hypothyroidism in persons with chronic kidney disease not requiring chronic dialysis
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