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Q fever pneumonia associated with exposure to wild rabbits
Lancet (London, England)
|February 22, 1986
Abstract:
4 patients with atypical pneumonia and a history of exposure to wild rabbits were found to have antibodies to Coxiella burnetii but not to the other organisms also commonly associated with atypical pneumonia. 10 (45%) of 22 snowshoe hares caught in the area where 1 of the patients snared his rabbits had antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. Q fever ought to be included in the differential diagnosis of pneumonia acquired following exposure to wild rabbits.
Insights
Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, should be considered in patients with atypical pneumonia after rabbit exposure. Antibodies were found in patients and local snowshoe hares, suggesting a link.
Area of Science:
- Zoonotic diseases
- Infectious disease epidemiology
Background:
- Atypical pneumonia presents diagnostic challenges.
- Exposure to wild animals, such as rabbits, can be a risk factor for zoonotic infections.