[Acute cerebellar syndrome in preventive lithium treatment and atypical pneumonia in Q fever].

CNS-involvement in Coxiella burnetii infection is rare. Severe cerebellar symptoms with incomplete restitution were observed in 3 patients who developed Q-fever pneumonia associated with a long-term prophylaxis with lithium for manic-depressive disorder. Several pathophysiological mechanisms for these complications are discussed and a specific toxic-infectious interaction is suggested.