Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands
Background: The Netherlands faced a large Q fever epidemic from 2007 to 2010, in which thousands of people were tested for the presence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii as part of individual patient diagnosis. So far, only data of notified cases were used for the identification of high-risk a...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2013-11-01
|
Series: | Infection Ecology & Epidemiology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.infectionecologyandepidemiology.net/index.php/iee/article/download/20432/pdf_1 |
id |
doaj-cbabc695ac204065bc016388dd482937 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-cbabc695ac204065bc016388dd4829372020-11-24T23:56:17ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInfection Ecology & Epidemiology2000-86862013-11-01301710.3402/iee.v3i0.20432Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the NetherlandsElsa J. van den BergCornelia C. H. WieldersPeter M. SchneebergerMarjolijn C. Wegdam-BlansWim van der HoekBackground: The Netherlands faced a large Q fever epidemic from 2007 to 2010, in which thousands of people were tested for the presence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii as part of individual patient diagnosis. So far, only data of notified cases were used for the identification of high-risk areas, which can lead to misclassification of risk. Therefore, we identified high- and low-risk areas based on laboratory test results to make control measures more efficient. Methods: Data on diagnostic Q fever laboratory tests were obtained from two regional laboratories of medical microbiology in the high-incidence area in the south of the Netherlands. The proportion of patients testing positive was mapped per postal code area. Patients testing positive were compared to patients testing negative based on the distance between residential address and the nearest infected goat farm with adjustment for age and sex. Results and conclusion: Of 11,035 patients tested, 4,011 (36.4%) had a positive laboratory test result for Q fever. Maps showing the spatial pattern of tests performed and proportion of positive tests allowed for the identification of high- and low-risk Q fever areas. The proportion of patients testing positive was higher in areas close to infected goat farms compared to areas further away. Patients living <1 km from an infected goat farm had a substantially higher risk of testing positive for antibodies to C. burnetii than those living >10 km away (OR 21.70, 95% CI 16.28–28.92). Laboratory test results have the potential to make control measures more efficient by identifying high-risk areas as well as low-risk areas.www.infectionecologyandepidemiology.net/index.php/iee/article/download/20432/pdf_1zoonosisCoxiella burnetiigoatsthe Netherlandscase–controlrisk factorsepidemiology |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Elsa J. van den Berg Cornelia C. H. Wielders Peter M. Schneeberger Marjolijn C. Wegdam-Blans Wim van der Hoek |
spellingShingle |
Elsa J. van den Berg Cornelia C. H. Wielders Peter M. Schneeberger Marjolijn C. Wegdam-Blans Wim van der Hoek Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands Infection Ecology & Epidemiology zoonosis Coxiella burnetii goats the Netherlands case–control risk factors epidemiology |
author_facet |
Elsa J. van den Berg Cornelia C. H. Wielders Peter M. Schneeberger Marjolijn C. Wegdam-Blans Wim van der Hoek |
author_sort |
Elsa J. van den Berg |
title |
Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands |
title_short |
Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands |
title_full |
Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands |
title_fullStr |
Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands |
title_sort |
spatial analysis of positive and negative q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the netherlands |
publisher |
Taylor & Francis Group |
series |
Infection Ecology & Epidemiology |
issn |
2000-8686 |
publishDate |
2013-11-01 |
description |
Background: The Netherlands faced a large Q fever epidemic from 2007 to 2010, in which thousands of people were tested for the presence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii as part of individual patient diagnosis. So far, only data of notified cases were used for the identification of high-risk areas, which can lead to misclassification of risk. Therefore, we identified high- and low-risk areas based on laboratory test results to make control measures more efficient. Methods: Data on diagnostic Q fever laboratory tests were obtained from two regional laboratories of medical microbiology in the high-incidence area in the south of the Netherlands. The proportion of patients testing positive was mapped per postal code area. Patients testing positive were compared to patients testing negative based on the distance between residential address and the nearest infected goat farm with adjustment for age and sex. Results and conclusion: Of 11,035 patients tested, 4,011 (36.4%) had a positive laboratory test result for Q fever. Maps showing the spatial pattern of tests performed and proportion of positive tests allowed for the identification of high- and low-risk Q fever areas. The proportion of patients testing positive was higher in areas close to infected goat farms compared to areas further away. Patients living <1 km from an infected goat farm had a substantially higher risk of testing positive for antibodies to C. burnetii than those living >10 km away (OR 21.70, 95% CI 16.28–28.92). Laboratory test results have the potential to make control measures more efficient by identifying high-risk areas as well as low-risk areas. |
topic |
zoonosis Coxiella burnetii goats the Netherlands case–control risk factors epidemiology |
url |
http://www.infectionecologyandepidemiology.net/index.php/iee/article/download/20432/pdf_1 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT elsajvandenberg spatialanalysisofpositiveandnegativeqfeverlaboratoryresultsforidentifyinghighandlowriskareasofinfectioninthenetherlands AT corneliachwielders spatialanalysisofpositiveandnegativeqfeverlaboratoryresultsforidentifyinghighandlowriskareasofinfectioninthenetherlands AT petermschneeberger spatialanalysisofpositiveandnegativeqfeverlaboratoryresultsforidentifyinghighandlowriskareasofinfectioninthenetherlands AT marjolijncwegdamblans spatialanalysisofpositiveandnegativeqfeverlaboratoryresultsforidentifyinghighandlowriskareasofinfectioninthenetherlands AT wimvanderhoek spatialanalysisofpositiveandnegativeqfeverlaboratoryresultsforidentifyinghighandlowriskareasofinfectioninthenetherlands |
_version_ |
1725458731177607168 |