Clinical and Genetic Features of Coxiella burnetii in a Patient with an Acute Febrile Illness in Korea

J Korean Med Sci. 2017 Jun;32(6):1038-1041. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2017.32.6.1038.

Abstract

Although Q fever is an important zoonotic infection with a worldwide distribution, no human isolates of Coxiella burnetii have been identified in Korea. For the first time, we identified the nucleotide sequence of C. burnetii from a 32-year-old man with an acute febrile illness in Korea. Diagnosis of acute Q fever was confirmed by seroconversion using indirect immunofluorescence antibody assays. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated high sequence similarity (99.6%-100%) with C. burnetii 16S rRNA sequences identified from the reservoir. These results are the first genetic analysis of C. burnetii in a human case of Q fever in Korea.

Keywords: 16s rRNA; Coxiella burnetii; Korea; Q Fever.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Coxiella burnetii / classification
  • Coxiella burnetii / genetics*
  • Coxiella burnetii / isolation & purification
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Phylogeny
  • Q Fever / diagnosis*
  • Q Fever / microbiology
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / classification
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / isolation & purification
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • RNA, Ribosomal, 16S