An explosive outbreak of Q-fever in Jedl'ové Kostol'any, Slovakia

An explosive epidemic of Q-fever that occurred at Jedl'ové Kostol'any (Nitra District) in April 1993, had an unusual mode of transmission, unprecedented in Slovakia. The submitted case-reports can be very instructive for both health workers and the lay public. The bulk of infection was spread in the local pub through contaminated garments of animal attendants assisting abortions and births of goats in a large capacity breeding centre of Gemersan Co. By their repeated visits to the local pub the infection most probably spread to other guests by aerosol. A total of 113 persons (103 males, 10 females) contracted Q-fever. Out of them 95 were infected by contact with the goat attendants (84%), and 18 were occupational diseases after direct contact with the infected goats. The human epidemic of Q-fever facilitated to trace an ongoing epizootic of coxiellosis in the herd of goats of Gemersan breed. In order to stop further spread of infection among humans and to contain the outbreak of coxiellosis among animals extensive epidemic and epizootic measures were taken.