pediatric q fever in a rural area in kazakhstan: a case report

Introduction: q fever is a zoonotic disease with variable clinical manifestations and potentially fatal complications. although the infection is rare, it is more common in rural areas where livestock are kept. case presentation: on december 18, 2022, a 10-month-old boy from a village in the turkestan region of kazakhstan was admitted to the hospital with a fever of 38.5 - 39.0°c, dry cough, and general weakness. an x-ray revealed signs of right-sided bronchopneumonia. the patient received empirical antibiotic treatment and corticosteroid therapy. retrospective enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) tests demonstrated that his acute phase serum was positive for antibodies against coxiella burnetii phase i antigens and negative for antibodies against c. burnetii phase ii antigens. considering the young age of the patient, which rules out a possible previous c. burnetii infection, along with the clinical presentation, epidemiological factors (such as the consumption of unpasteurized goat milk), and serological data, the child was retrospectively diagnosed with q fever. he responded well to treatment with cefazolin. conclusions: in kazakhstan, medical personnel have a low suspicion of q fever in patients, mainly due to low awareness and the non-specific symptoms of the infection. this study aims to demonstrate the importance of recognizing q fever as a possible cause of illness in children in the southern region of kazakhstan.