[Chronic Q fever during pregnancy]

Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2011:155:A2781.
[Article in Dutch]

Abstract

A 42-year-old woman visited the pulmonologist for follow-up after a pneumonia. In retrospect the pneumonia appeared to be a manifestation of an acute Q fever infection. A few weeks later the patient was found to be unexpectedly pregnant. At the normal serological follow-up six months after the primary infection chronic Q fever infection was diagnosed. Doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine are contraindicated in pregnancy and the patient was found to be allergic to co-trimoxazole. Therefore treatment with erythromycin was chosen on empirical grounds. The patient had many symptoms during pregnancy. After 38 weeks and 2 days amenorrhea labour was induced on maternal indication. Finally a healthy boy of 3850 grams was born by caesarean section. In view of the increased risk of chronic Q fever infection during pregnancy we advise intensified serological monitoring of patients with acute Q fever who subsequently become pregnant.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis*
  • Pregnancy Outcome
  • Q Fever / diagnosis*