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Volume 26, Number 12—December 2020
Research Letter

High Coxiella burnetii Seroconversion Rate in Veterinary Students, the Netherlands, 2006–2010

Marit M.A. de LangeComments to Author , Wim van der Hoek, Peter M. Schneeberger, Arno Swart, Dick J.J. Heederik, Barbara Schimmer, and Inge M. Wouters
Author affiliations: National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, the Netherlands (M.M.A. de Lange, W. van der Hoek, A. Swart, B. Schimmer); Jeroen Bosch Hospital, ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands (P.M. Schneeberger); Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands (D.J.J. Heederik, I.M. Wouters)

Main Article

Table

Characteristics from follow-up questionnaire in association with Coxiella burnetii seroconversion among 118 veterinary students seronegative at baseline, the Netherlands*

Characteristic Odds ratio (95% CI) p value
Age group, y
≤20 Referent
21 0.9 (0.2–3.5) 0.85
≥22
 1.3 (0.4–4.2)
 0.69
Sex
M Referent
F
 0.7 (0.2–2.3)
 0.53
Regular exposure to cigarette smoke
Yes 1.1 (0.4–2.8) 0.81
No
 Referent
Living on a farm with cattle
Yes ND
No
 ND
Living on a farm with sheep or goats
Yes 6.2 (1.4–28.1) 0.02
No
 Referent
Living on a farm with pigs
Yes ND
No
 ND
Living on a farm with chickens
Yes 3.0 (0.3–35.0) 0.39
No
 Referent
Regular contact with cattle outside veterinary training
Yes 0.3 (0.1–2.7) 0.31
No
 Referent
Regular contact with goats outside veterinary training
Yes 0.6 (0.1–3.8) 0.56
No
 Referent
Regular contact with horses outside veterinary training
Yes 0.7 (0.3–1.7) 0.40
No
 Referent
Regular contact with pigs outside veterinary training
Yes ND
No
 ND
Regular contact with chickens outside veterinary training
Yes 0.5 (0.1–3.8) 0.50
No
 Referent
Regular contact with sheep outside veterinary training
Yes 4.4 (1.2–16.7) 0.03
No
 Referent
History of performing animal nursing on farm where they lived
Yes 3.6 (0.9–14.3) 0.07
No
 Referent
History of working with straw or hay on farm where they lived
Yes 6.4 (1.6–26.1) <0.01
No
 Referent
History of working with fertilizers on farm where they lived
Yes 3.2 (0.5–19.6) 0.21
No
 Referent
History of performing plant nursing on farm where they lived
Yes 3.1 (0.3–33.5) 0.35
No
 Referent
No. years after study start†
2 Referent
4
 1.0 (0.3–2.9)
 0.96
Cohort‡
2006 Referent
2008
 0.7 (0.3–2.0)
 0.56
Chosen specialization during veterinary training
Individually kept animals Referent
Veterinary public health or farm animals 1.6 (0.5–5.0) 0.38

*ND, not determined because of low numbers.
†Only adjusted for cohort.
‡Only adjusted for number of years after the study.

Main Article

Page created: October 16, 2020
Page updated: November 19, 2020
Page reviewed: November 19, 2020
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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