Q Fever among Culling Workers, the Netherlands, 2009–2010

Abstract

In 2009, dairy goat farms in the Netherlands were implicated in >2,300 cases of Q fever; in response, 51,820 small ruminants were culled. Among 517 culling workers, despite use of personal protective equipment, 17.5% seroconverted for antibodies to Coxiella burnetii. Vaccination of culling workers could be considered.

Keywords

• Q fever
• epidemiology
• agricultural workers’ diseases
• occupational diseases
• antibodies
• bacteria