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Coxiella burnetii infection in a patient with tick bite
Chang-Woo Kim1, Dong-Min Kim1, Choon-Mee Kim2
1Department of Internal Medicine, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Republic of Korea.
Introduction:
We report the case of a 60-year-old male who was hospitalized with fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, and myalgia for six days.
Methodology:
Polymerase chain reactions (PCR) were performed on patient blood samples, and four ticks were collected from the area the patient mowed. Indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) were performed on serum samples to detect specific antibodies.
Results:
The collected ticks were identified as Haemaphysalis longicornis. Coxiella species-specific nested PCR (N-PCR) and sequencing confirmed the presence of Coxiella burnetii in the patient, and Coxiella-like bacteria were identified in three of the four ticks. IFA results showed ≥ 4-fold increases in both IgM and IgG antibody titers against Q fever.
Conclusions:
Despite positive PCR results for Coxiella species in both the patient and the ticks, different bacterial species were isolated, suggesting that the patient was not infected with C. burnetii through tick bites. Further investigation is required to identify the carriers or transmitters of the infection.
Insights
A patient diagnosed with Q fever had Coxiella burnetii detected in blood, while ticks carried different Coxiella-like bacteria. This suggests tick bites were not the transmission route for this Q fever case.
Area of Science:
- Medical Entomology
- Infectious Diseases
- Molecular Diagnostics
Background:
- Q fever is a significant zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii.
- Tick-borne illnesses present diagnostic challenges, especially when etiological agents differ between hosts and vectors.
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