Introduction:
Q fever (febris Q, coxiellosis) occurs worldwide among humans and many animal species. It is caused by intracellularly proliferating bacteria Coxiella burnetii (order Legionellales), producing spores – exceptionally resistant to the effect of physico-chemical factors. In Poland, as a human disease, it has been known since 1956, and the most frequent sources of infection in humans are: infected cattle and sheep and infected habitation environment of these animals. This disease, partially recognized epidemiologically and sporadically diagnosed in humans, occurs undoubtedly over the whole territory of Poland. Cases offi cially reported among humans refl ect – according to estimations by one of the authors – only approximately 1% of clinical cases in Poland. The motivation for the studies presented below were 3 epizootic-epidemic foci, which occurred in summer and early autumn in 2008, on the border of the Lublin and Rzeszów Regions, primarily in milk cattle, and secondarily among the population from the groups at occupational risk. The report presents the preliminary results of the studies for Q fever among an occupationally exposed population. Serologic tests were performed in a group of 135 people. In order to confi rm the presence of IgG antibodies the indirect immunofl uorescence method (IFA) was applied at phase I and II, as well as the method of complement fi xation test (CFT) at phase II. The presented results are considered as preliminary, while the study is being continued in association with the Laboratory for Serologic Diagnostics at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Puławy – head: Dr vet. Krzysztof Niemczuk, participating in the project, and observation and infectious diseases wards in Biłgoraj and Dębica, and the National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene.