Q Fever Serological Survey and Associated Risk Factors in Veterinarians, Southern Belgium, 2013

Area of Science:

• Veterinary epidemiology
• Zoonotic disease research
• Public health

Background:

• Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a significant zoonotic disease.
• Veterinarians, particularly those working with livestock, are at high risk of exposure.
• Understanding seroprevalence and risk factors is crucial for disease control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the seroprevalence of Q fever among veterinarians in Southern Belgium.
• To identify risk factors associated with Q fever exposure in this population.
• To characterize serological profiles indicative of infection status.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional sero-epidemiological survey.
• Involved 108 veterinarians in Southern Belgium, with a focus on livestock practitioners.
• Multivariate logistic regression and classification and regression tree analyses were employed.

Main Results:

• Overall Q fever seroprevalence was 45.4%, rising to 58.3% in veterinarians with livestock contact.
• Contact with manure in the preceding month was identified as a significant risk factor for seropositivity.
• Age was the most predictive variable for excluding potentially chronic infections in asymptomatic individuals.

Conclusions:

• Livestock veterinarians in Southern Belgium face substantial exposure to Q fever.
• The findings highlight Q fever as a neglected zoonosis requiring attention in high-risk groups.
• Regular serological and medical examinations are recommended for exposed veterinarians.