Identification of Risk Factors for Chronic Q Fever, the Netherlands.

The article discusses a case-control study that was performed to identify and quantify the risk factors for development of chronic Q fever after Coxiella burnetii infection in the Netherlands. A comparison was made of comorbidity, cardiovascular risk factors, medications, and demographic characteristics from patients with proven, probable or possible chronic Q fever and patients who had acute Q fever but who did not develop chronic Q fever. It was found that valvular surgery, vascular prosthesis, aneurysm, renal insufficiency, and older age were independent risk factors associated with the development of chronic Q fever.