Publication: Chronic Q-Fever (Coxiella burnetii) Causing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Lumbar Osteomyelitis: A Case Report
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Date
2015
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Oxford University Press
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Citation
Leahey, P. Alexander, Steven R. Tahan, Ekkehard M. Kasper, and Mary Albrecht. 2015. “Chronic Q-Fever (Coxiella burnetii) Causing Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm and Lumbar Osteomyelitis: A Case Report.” Open Forum Infectious Diseases 3 (1): ofv185. doi:10.1093/ofid/ofv185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofv185.
Research Data
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is a rare cause of chronic infection that most frequently presents as endocarditis. We report a case of C burnetii causing an infected abdominal aortic aneurysm with contiguous lumbar osteomyelitis resulting in spinal cord compromise. The diagnosis was established by serologic studies consistent with chronic Q-fever (ratio of C burnetii immunoglobulin [Ig]G phase II titer to IgG phase I titer <1) and was confirmed by positive C burnetii polymerase chain reaction of vertebral tissue in addition to pathology of vertebral bone showing intracellular Gram-negative coccobacillary bacteria. The patient clinically improved after surgical decompression and prolonged treatment with doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine.
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Keywords
abdominal aortic aneurysm, chronic Q-fever, , osteomyelitis, Q-fever
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