TY - JOUR
T1 - Q Fever and pneumonia in an area with a high livestock density: a large population-based study
AU - Smit, L.A.
AU - van der Sman-de Beer, F.
AU - Opstal-van Winden, A.W.J.
AU - Hooiveld, M.
AU - Beekhuizen, J.
AU - Wouters, I.M.
AU - Yzermans, J.
AU - Heederik, D.J.J.
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - Concerns about public health risks of intensive animal production in the Netherlands continue to rise, in particular related to outbreaks of infectious diseases. The aim was to investigate associations between the presence of farm animals around the home address and Q fever and pneumonia.Electronic medical record data for the year 2009 of all patients of 27 general practitioners (GPs) in a region with a high density of animal farms were used. Density of farm animals around the home address was calculated using a Geographic Information System. During the study period, a large Q fever outbreak occurred in this region. Associations between farm exposure variables and pneumonia or 'other infectious disease', the diagnosis code used by GPs for registration of Q fever, were analyzed in 22,406 children (0-17 y) and 70,142 adults (18-70 y), and adjusted for age and sex. In adults, clear exposure-response relationships between the number of goats within 5 km of the home address and pneumonia and 'other infectious disease' were observed. The association with 'other infectious disease' was particularly strong, with an OR [95%CI] of 12.03 [8.79-16.46] for the fourth quartile (>17,190 goats) compared with the first quartile (
AB - Concerns about public health risks of intensive animal production in the Netherlands continue to rise, in particular related to outbreaks of infectious diseases. The aim was to investigate associations between the presence of farm animals around the home address and Q fever and pneumonia.Electronic medical record data for the year 2009 of all patients of 27 general practitioners (GPs) in a region with a high density of animal farms were used. Density of farm animals around the home address was calculated using a Geographic Information System. During the study period, a large Q fever outbreak occurred in this region. Associations between farm exposure variables and pneumonia or 'other infectious disease', the diagnosis code used by GPs for registration of Q fever, were analyzed in 22,406 children (0-17 y) and 70,142 adults (18-70 y), and adjusted for age and sex. In adults, clear exposure-response relationships between the number of goats within 5 km of the home address and pneumonia and 'other infectious disease' were observed. The association with 'other infectious disease' was particularly strong, with an OR [95%CI] of 12.03 [8.79-16.46] for the fourth quartile (>17,190 goats) compared with the first quartile (
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0038843
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0038843
M3 - Article
C2 - 22685612
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 7
SP - e38843
JO - PLoS ONE [E]
JF - PLoS ONE [E]
IS - 6
ER -