Coxiella burnetii Multilevel Disk Space Infection, Epidural Abscess, and Vertebral Osteomyelitis Secondary to Contiguous Spread From Infected Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm or Graft: Report of 4 Cases Acquired in the US and Review of the Literature

Acute Coxiella burnetii Infection: A 10-Year Clinical Experience at a Tertiary Care Center in the United States

Background

Identifying and treating patients with acute Q fever who are at an increased risk of progressing to persistent disease is crucial for preventing future complications. In this study, we share our decade-long clinical experience with acute Q fever, highlighting the challenges that clinicians encounter from making an initial diagnosis and performing risk stratification to determining the appropriate prophylaxis regimen and duration.

Methods

We retrieved records of adult Mayo Clinic patients (≥18 years) with positive Coxiella burnetii serology results between 1 January 2012 and 31 March 2022. Patients with Q fever anti-phase II immunoglobulin G ≥1:256 by indirect immunofluorescence were further analyzed.

Results

Thirty-one patients were included. Their median age was 58 years (IQR, 50-64), and the majority were men (84%). Acute hepatitis (29%), flu-like illness (25.8%), and pneumonia (16%) were the most common presentations. Thirteen patients (42%) received antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent disease progression, with significant variation in the indications and duration across physicians. The combination of doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine was the preferred regimen. Prophylaxis was administered for a median 333 days (IQR, 168-414). Four patients (13%) progressed to Q fever native valve infective endocarditis, with elevated anticardiolipin immunoglobulin G levels being the sole risk factor in 2 cases. The small sample size precluded drawing conclusions on the impact of prophylaxis in preventing disease progression.

Conclusions

Management of acute Q fever is complicated by the lack of comprehensive clinical guidelines leading to varied clinical practices. There is a critical need for randomized trials to establish robust evidence-based protocols for management.

Polysegmental and multilevel lesions in hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis: assessment of immediate and long-term results

Objective. To analyze the results of treatment of disseminated (polysegmental and multilevel) forms of hematogenous vertebral osteomyelitis (HVO) as compared with those of monosegmental and monovertebral lesions.

Material and Methods. A retrospective analysis of a monocenter cohort of 266 patients with hematogenous osteomyelitis of the spine for 2006 to 2019 was carried out. Patients were divided into two groups: Group A (polysegmental and multilevel lesions) included 33 (12.4 %) patients and Group B (monosegmental and monovertebral lesions) – 233 (87.6 %) patients. The main examination methods were: clinical, radiological (standardized roentgenography, CT), MRI, microbiological, histological and statistical ones.

Results. Comparison revealed that involvement of the cervical (p < 0.001) and thoracic (p = 0.014) spine was more typical for polysegmental and multilevel lesions. There was a tendency to the predominance of type A lesions according to the Pola classification in patients with local forms (p = 0.078) and to the increase in type C lesions in polysegmental and multilevel processes (p = 0.035). The number of neurological complications was higher in polysegmental and multilevel lesions (p = 0.003). There were no significant differences in the treatment results, the number of relapses and mortality rate between the compared groups.

Conclusion. Lesions of the cervical and thoracic spine and the presence of a neurological deterioration are typical for multilevel and polysegmental HVO. The formation of a multilevel lesion in different regions of the spine with a gap of 2–4 weeks or more requires a separate implementation of the diagnostic algorithm, defining of classification criteria and differentiated treatment tactics for each focus.

Chronic Q fever presenting as bilateral extensor tenosynovitis: a case report and review of the literature

Musculoskeletal manifestations of Coxiella burnetii are rare. We describe an elderly, immunosuppressed male with bilateral Coxiella burnetii extensor tenosynovitis treated with incision and debridement and chronic doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine. Additionally, disease etiology, risk factors, pertinent features of the history, testing modalities, and treatment strategies of musculoskeletal Q fever are reviewed.

Leptospirosis and Rickettsial Diseases Sero-Conversion Surveillance Among U.S. Military Personnel in Honduras

INTRODUCTION

Leptospirosis and rickettsial diseases are global zoonotic diseases. In severe infection cases, mortality can range from 10% to 30%. Currently most epidemiological data available are based on outbreak investigations and hospital-based studies from endemic countries. The U.S. soldiers at military bases in these countries are highly vulnerable due to the fact that most of them are immunologically naïve to these pathogens. No risk assessment of leptospirosis and rickettsial diseases among U.S. military personnel in Honduras is currently available. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of leptospirosis and rickettsial diseases in U.S. military personnel deployed to Honduras using serological assays.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A cohort of pre- and post-deployment sera from the most recent 1,000 military personnel stationed in Honduras for at least 6 months between 2000 and 2016 was identified for this study. Serum specimens from these eligible subjects were retrieved. All post-deployment serum specimens were screened at a dilution of 1:100 for the presence of IgG antibodies to Leptospira and Rickettsia pathogens. The pre-deployment sera from those individuals with post-deployment IgG antibodies above cutoff (i.e., seropositive) were tested to determine seroconversion. Seroconversion was defined as conversion of an optical density value from below the cutoff (i.e., negative) in a pre-deployed specimen to above the cutoff (i.e., positive) in a post-deployed specimen at a titer of 100.

RESULTS

The seropositive post-deployment specimens for antibodies against Leptospira (causing leptospirosis), Rickettsia typhi (causing murine typhus [MT]), spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR, causing SFG Rickettsia), Orientia tsutsugamushi (causing scrub typhus [ST]), and Coxiella burnetii (causing Q fever [QF]) were 11.6%, 11.3%, 6%, 5.6%, and 8.0%, respectively. The seroconverted rate in those assigned to Honduras from 2000 to 2016 was 7.3%, 1.9%, 3.9%, 4.3%, and 2.7% for leptospirosis, MT, SFGR, ST, and QF, respectively. Among the seroconverted specimens, 27 showed seroconversion of at least two antibodies. These seroconverted individuals accounted for 8.8% (3 out of 34) of the personnel who looked for medical attention during their deployment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a leptospirosis seroconversion rate of 7.3%, which is higher than the 0.9% and 3.9% seroconversion in Korea and Japan, respectively. The higher rate of seroconversion indicates potential risk of Leptospira exposure. Additional testing of water samples in the pools and pits around the training sites to locate the infected areas is important to eliminate or reduce future exposure to Leptospira during trainings. The rates of seroconversion for ST, MT, spotted fever Rickettsia, and QF were 4.3%, 1.9%, 3.9%, and 2.7%, respectively, indicating the potential exposure to a variety of rickettsial-related pathogens. Testing of vectors for rickettsial pathogens in the areas could inform effective vector control countermeasures to prevent exposure. Proper precaution and protective measures are needed to better protect military personnel deployed to Honduras.

Q fever vertebral osteomyelitis among adults: a case series and literature review

BACKGROUND

Q fever osteoarticular infections are a rare complication of the chronic form of Q fever. We aimed to characterize chronic Q fever vertebral osteomyelitis through our experience and a review of the literature.

METHODS

Four adult patients with Q fever vertebral osteomyelitis diagnosed in a tertiary hospital in northern Israel between 2016 to 2020 are described. In addition, a 30 years' literature review of Q fever vertebral osteomyelitis, characterizing predisposing factors, clinical presentation, course of disease, treatment and outcomes, was performed.

RESULTS

Thirty-four adult patients with Q fever vertebral osteomyelitis were identified. The vast majority were male (30/34, 88%) with a mean age of 67.2 ± 10 years. Involvement of the adjacent aorta, likely the origin of the infection, was observed in 23/34 (68%) of the patients, usually among patients with aortic graft or aneurysm. Clinical presentation was insidious and fever was frequently absent. Delayed diagnosis for months to years after symptoms onset was frequently reported. Vascular infections were managed with or without extraction of the infected aneurysm/aorta and graft placement. The outcome was variable with limited follow-up data in most cases. Patients were usually treated with prolonged antimicrobial therapy, most commonly doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine combination therapy.

CONCLUSION

Q fever should be included in the differential diagnosis of vertebral osteomyelitis in endemic settings, in particular when concomitant adjacent vascular infection exists.

Q Fever Vertebral Osteomyelitis Complicating Vertebroplasty

Query (Q) fever is a zoonotic bacterial infection caused by Coxiella burnetii. In a minority of patients, chronic disease can occur after acute infection. Endocarditis and infections of aneurysms or vascular prostheses are the most common forms of chronic Q fever in adults. We report a case of an elderly female patient with chronic Q fever vertebral osteomyelitis at the site of her previous cement vertebroplasty, complicated by paravertebral abscess. Patient treatment required prolonged drainage in addition to the long duration of antibiotic treatment by doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine. Osteomyelitis is a rare clinical presentation in adults with chronic Q fever. However, it is important to consider Q fever in the differential diagnosis of culture-negative osteomyelitis, especially in countries where C. burnetii is endemic, such as Israel.