Epidemiology and significance of Q fever in Hungary

In Hungary, Coxiella (C.) burnetii infections were diagnosed for the first time in 1956 in a few dairy and sheep farms. Q fever associated with abortion was first demonstrated in 1983 during laboratory diagnostic examination of fetuses and placentae. From case history data and on-the-spot investigations it is clear that in cattle stocks abortion caused by C. burnetii occurs sporadically, whereas in sheep flocks numerous abortions may take place within a short time. Losses caused by Q fever on the affected large-scale farms amount to 5-15%, which arise partly from reduced calf or lamb crop and partly from the death of offspring born with poor viability and being highly susceptible to neonatal disease. Altogether 87 cases of human disease caused by C. burnetii have been reported in the Hungarian literature. Instead of typical pneumonia, in recent years sporadic cases of granulomatous hepatitis were a constant finding accompanied by a characteristic blood picture and high titres of specific antibodies.