Coxiella burnetii infection of aortic aneurysms or vascular grafts: report of 30 new cases and evaluation of outcome.

E. Botelho-Nevers (1) , Pierre-Edouard Fournier (1) , H. Richet (1) , F. Fenollar (1) , H. Lepidi (1) , C. Foucault (1) , A. Branchereau (2) , P. Piquet (3) , M. Maurin (4, 5) , Didier Raoult (1)

1 URPE - Unité des Rickettsies et pathogènes émergents
2 Service de Chirurgie Vasculaire
3 Service de Chirurgie Vasculaire
4 Laboratoire de Bactériologie
5 LAPM - Laboratoire Adaptation et pathogénie des micro-organismes [Grenoble]

Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. Polymorphic, the disease may present as an acute or chronic infection. Vascular infections are the second most common form of chronic Q fever, following endocarditis. Herein, we studied the outcome of 30 new cases of aortic infection caused by C. burnetii using uni- and multivariate analyses. The outcome of ten cases previously reported by our team was also updated. Of these 40 patients, 32 had a follow-up of >or=3 years. Among them, the overall mortality was of 25% (8/32). Vascular rupture was significantly and independently (multivariate P=0.03) associated with a lethal issue, whereas vascular surgery was significantly associated with recovery (uni- and multivariate P<0.01). Our findings demonstrate the critical importance of surgery in the management of C. burnetii vascular infections.

Domaines: Biochimie, Biologie Moléculaire

E. Botelho-Nevers, Pierre-Edouard Fournier, H. Richet, F. Fenollar, H. Lepidi, et al.. Coxiella burnetii infection of aortic aneurysms or vascular grafts: report of 30 new cases and evaluation of outcome.. European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2007, 26 (9), pp.635-40. ⟨10.1007/s10096-007-0357-6⟩. ⟨hal-00412384⟩