A serological survey for Q. fever antibodies in man and animals in Jamaica, West Indies

ABSTRACT

Owing to the relatively high incidence of atypical pneumonia and other unspecified pneumonias reported in young children and adults in Jamaica, and due to the growing interest in the prevalence of Q. fever over the world, it was thought useful to do a survey of this disease in man and animals. Three hundred and four sera were examined during the period 1952-6, and 185 specimens of sera in 1960 - from man and animals in Jamaica. Of these two series, 122 sera were from abattoir workers. The sera were examined by the Compliment Fixation Test using antigen prepared from the Henzerling, Ninemile and Herzberg strains of the Rickettsia burnetti, supplied by Behringwerke, Germany. Only three sera were positive in the 1952/6 series, titres 120, 140 and 180. Two of the positive sera and 10 doubtful sera were checked at the virus laboratory U.S. P.H. Service, CDC Montgomery, Alabama, 2 months later with two doubtful reslts (14 or 18 titres) the others with essentially negative results. In the 1960 series there were no positive sera. The above results suggest that Q. fever is not at present prevalent in Jamaica. A follow up of this work should be done 5-10 years later. (AU)