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Short Communication: Prevalence of antibodies against C oxiella burnetii ( Q fever) in children in T he G ambia, W est A frica
Author(s) -
Hoek Wim,
SargeNjie Ramu,
Herremans Tineke,
Chisnall Thomas,
Okebe Joseph,
Oriero Eniyou,
Versteeg Bart,
Goossens Bart,
Sande Marianne,
Kampmann Beate,
Nwakanma Davis
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12116
Subject(s) - q fever , antibody , coxiella burnetii , rickettsiales , immunology , seroprevalence , medicine , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , bacteria , serology , genetics
Objective To estimate the prevalence of antibodies against C oxiella burnetii ( Q fever) among children in eight villages in T he G ambia, W est A frica. Methods Sera of 796 children aged 1–15 years were tested for presence of antibodies against phase II of C. burnetii by ELISA . Results IgG and/or IgM phase II antibodies against C. burnetii were detectable in 8.3% (66/796) of all serum samples analysed with significant differences in seroprevalence between villages. Highest prevalence was found in the age group 1–4 years. Conclusions Exposure to C. burnetii is considerable in the early years of life in T he G ambia, and further studies are warranted to estimate the role of Q fever in acute febrile illness in T he G ambia and elsewhere in A frica.