Poker players, pneumonia and cat tales.

Poker players, pneumonia and cat tales

When a group of poker players who meet regularly in Halifax, Nova Scotia, all developed pneumonia within a few days, epidemiologists at Dalhousie University in that city discovered the infection came from an unexpected source. The pneumonia --a complication of a disease called Q fever caused by the rickettsial organism Coxiella burnetti--was transmitted to the 12 card players by a cat living in the house, say the scientists. It is well established that C. burnetti can be carried by cattle, sheep and goats, and that people who work with these animals are more likely to inhale the disease-causing organism. But the Halifax outbreak, coupled with a Dalhousie survey of 51 other Nova Scotians with Q fever, provides early evidence that pregnant urban cats may also serve as a reservoir for Q fever, by harboring the virus in their uterus.

Both studies indicate that close exposure to cats that have recently given birth, particularly to stillborn kittens, is associated with a significant increased risk of developing Q fever. Thomas J. Marrie of Dalhousie says that his group currently has no recommendations for people with pregnant cats, other than to prevent future pregnancies if household members develop symptoms of Q fever. The disease, which normally is not life-threatening to humans, may require hospitalization for fever and pneumonia.