[Aspects seroepidemiological studies on Q fever in unvaccinated dairy cattle herds].

Q fever is a zoonosis distributed worldwide and important in human as well as in veterinary medicine in Germany. In Baden-Wurttemberg, the pathogen is endemic. Usually Q fever is associated with infected sheep flocks.

[Epidemiological enquiries in two Q fever outbreaks in a community of Baden-Württemberg during 2008 and 2009].

In 2008 and 2009, two consecutive outbreaks of Q fever in humans were recorded in the district of Freudenstadt, northern Black Forrest, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In 2008, a total of 41 persons from a single local community fell ill and were found infected with Coxiella burnetii. Although comprehensive diagnostic and epidemiological outbreak investigations were conducted and control measures taken which included vaccination of ruminants at risk in three parts of the affected community, re-occurrence of the disease in 2009 with further 29 confirmed human Q fever cases could not be prevented.