Incidence of Q fever: pilot studies in two areas in Nova Scotia

We carried out two pilot studies to determine the incidence of Q fever in Nova Scotia. The first study involved 199 people from the Annapolis Valley region. The first set of blood samples was collected between May and September and the second three to five months later. Two subjects had titers greater than or equal to 1:256 (by the indirect immunofluorescence test), suggesting recent infection. The second group studied consisted of 95 residents of Baddeck. Nova Scotia. Their first serum samples were collected between March and October 1987 and their second samples 18 months later. Two (2%) had fourfold rises in titer and one had a high stable titer. We conclude that the incidence of Q fever in these two areas of Nova Scotia is high.