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Investigations

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Investigations include:

  • liver function tests often indicate a hepatitis

  • chest radiology - lower lobe consolidation often by the 3rd or 4th day; may persist beyond the febrile state

  • serodiagnosis is by complement fixation tests:
    • fixation to phase I antigen reflects recent acute infection - appear in 7 to 10 days, peak at 20 days, then decline
    • high titres to phase I antigen occur in patients with endocarditis and granulomatous hepatitis
    • high titres to both phase I and II antigens reflect chronic infection

  • liver biopsy:
    • may show granulomatous changes with scattered infiltrations of polymorphs, lymphocytes and macrophages
    • presence of C. burnetti may be demonstrated by fluorescent antibody

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