Spatial analysis of positive and negative Q fever laboratory results for identifying high- and low-risk areas of infection in the Netherlands

Background: The Netherlands faced a large Q fever epidemic from 2007 to 2010, in which thousands of people were tested for the presence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii as part of individual patient diagnosis. So far, only data of notified cases were used for the identification of high-risk areas, which can lead to misclassification of risk. Therefore, we identified high- and low-risk areas based on laboratory test results to make control measures more efficient. Methods: Data on diagnostic Q fever laboratory tests were obtained from two regional laboratories of medical microbiology in... Mehr ...