Cardiac manifestations of Q fever infection: case series and a review of the literature

Abstract

Background: Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an uncommon intracellular bacterium found in livestock and domesticated dogs and cats. A minority of patients who acquire acute Q fever will subsequently develop chronic Q fever endocarditis, which often manifests in valvular insufficiency.

Method: We review recent literature and report the clinical presentation, treatment, and serology of three surgical patients with Q fever.

Results and conclusion: Three patients with Q fever were successfully treated at our institution, including the first known case of a C. burnetii infection manifesting in a pediatric patient with isolated aortic coarctation.