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. 2022 May 18;16(5):e0010349.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010349. eCollection 2022 May.

High endemicity of Q fever in French Guiana: A cross sectional study (2007-2017)

Pauline Thill  1   2 , Carole Eldin  3   4 , Laureen Dahuron  1 , Alain Berlioz-Artaud  5 , Magalie Demar  6   7 , Mathieu Nacher  8 , Emmanuel Beillard  5 , Félix Djossou  1   7 , Loïc Epelboin  1   7   8
Affiliations

High endemicity of Q fever in French Guiana: A cross sectional study (2007-2017)

Pauline Thill et al. PLoS Negl Trop Dis. .

Abstract

Q fever (QF) is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii (Cb). French Guiana (FG) had a high incidence but no data have been published since 2006. The objective of this study was to update the incidence and epidemiological data on QF in FG. A retrospective study of all FG Q fever serodiagnosis between 2007 and 2017 was carried out. Among the 695 patients included, the M/F sex-ratio was 2.0 and the median age of 45.3 years (IQR 33.7-56.3). The annual QF incidence rate was 27.4 cases (95%CI: 7.1-47.7) per 100,000 inhabitants ranging from 5.2 in 2007 to 40.4 in 2010. Risk factors associated with Q fever compared to general population were male gender, being born in mainland France, an age between 30 to 59 years-old and a residence in Cayenne and surroundings. The incidence of QF in FG remains high and stable and the highest in the world.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Flowchart of the study. Details of the cases of Q fever between 2007 and 2017.
Cb = Coxiella burnetii; QF = Q fever; DCM = Dilated cardiomyopathy. Other acute: 1 asymptomatic seroconversion in a women tested in the assessment of her husband’s family who had a symptomatic form; 1 acute meningitis, 1 acute myopericarditis. Other persistent: 1 infectious chronic polyarthritis; 1 granulomatous hepatitis in a patient with immunosuppressive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Number of cases according to the age category.
F = female, M = male.
Fig 3
Fig 3. Country or territory of birth of patients infected by Q fever 2007–2017.
NA: Country of birth unknown; Foreign unknown: not born in France, nor French Guiana or French Caribbean, but information of foreign country not available.
Fig 4
Fig 4. Mapping of the cases of Q fever per municipality in French Guiana 2007–2017.
Source: QGIS software, release 3.24. Link to the base layer: https://www.insee.fr/fr/information/2028028.
Fig 5
Fig 5. Number of cases and annual incidence between 1990 and 2017.
Fig 6
Fig 6. Monthly distribution of the cases of Q fever between 2007 and 2017 according to three climate variables: rainfall, humidity and temperature.
Fig 7
Fig 7. Annual incidence of Q fever in French Guiana between 2007 and 2017.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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