Situation 14.1

During a six-month period, 239 cases of pneumonia occurred in a town of 300 people. A clinical case was defined as fever ≥ 39°C lasting 2 days with three or more symptoms (i.e., chills, sweats, severe headache, cough, aching muscles/joints, fatigue, or feeling ill). A laboratory-confirmed case was defined as a positive result for antibodies against Coxiella burnetii. Before the outbreak, 2000 sheep were kept northwest of the town. Of the 20 sheep tested from the flock, 15 were positive for C. burnetii antibodies. Wind blew from the northwest, and rainfall was 0.5 cm compared with 7 to 10 cm during each of the previous three years.

-The etiologic agent of the disease in Situation 14.1 is

Question

Situation 14.1

During a six-month period, 239 cases of pneumonia occurred in a town of 300 people. A clinical case was defined as fever ≥ 39°C lasting >2 days with three or more symptoms (i.e., chills, sweats, severe headache, cough, aching muscles/joints, fatigue, or feeling ill). A laboratory-confirmed case was defined as a positive result for antibodies against Coxiella burnetii. Before the outbreak, 2000 sheep were kept northwest of the town. Of the 20 sheep tested from the flock, 15 were positive for C. burnetii antibodies. Wind blew from the northwest, and rainfall was 0.5 cm compared with 7 to 10 cm during each of the previous three years.

-The etiologic agent of the disease in Situation 14.1 is

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The etiologic agent of the pneumonia outbreak is Coxiella burnetii, as defined by the laboratory-confirmed case definition. The presence of antibodies against C. burnetii in 15 out of the 20 tested sheep suggests that they may have played a role in the transmission of the pathogen to humans. The dry weather conditions and wind blowing from the northwest may have contributed to the spread of the pathogen. Soil is not mentioned as a potential source or reservoir of C. burnetii in this situation, and wind and pneumonia are symptoms/outcomes rather than the cause of the outbreak.

Situation 14.1 During a Six-Month Period, 239 Cases of Pneumonia Occurred in Pneumonia