Coxiella burnetii Infection Is Lower in Children than in Adults After Community Exposure

Abstract

Notified Q fever was less frequent in children/adolescents than in adults. Although underrecognition contributed to this phenomenon, lower rates of infection in children after community exposure played an unexpected major role. On-source (presumed high-dose) exposure, by contrast, was associated with high serological and clinical attack rates not only in adults but also in children/adolescents. Our findings allow for improved age-specific clinical and public health risk assessment in Q fever outbreaks.