Antibody kinetics in serological indication of chronic Q fever: the Greek experience.

BACKGROUND

Q fever caused by the pathogen Coxiella burnetii may have both acute and chronic manifestations. Although paired sera are not required for the diagnosis of chronic Q fever, monitoring of antibody titers can be used to examine the course of treatment. Monitoring both phase II and phase I antibodies may be of limited diagnostic value, but it is a useful means of determining the response to treatment and possible disease relapses.

METHODS

In the current survey we determined IgG and IgM of both phase I and phase II for 35 patients suffering from chronic Q fever in an attempt to draw conclusions on the kinetics of the antibodies throughout the course of the disease.

RESULTS

Overall, 33 cases were included in the study. Of the 33 patients, 32 had a good outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the general belief that a long period of serological monitoring is required for patients with chronic Q fever.