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Cardiology510 papers

Grain fever

Last edited: 4/14/2026

Overview

Grain fever, often associated with occupational exposure to contaminated environments, particularly in agricultural settings involving livestock, is caused by pathogens such as Coxiella burnetii leading to Q fever. It can manifest with nonspecific symptoms including fever, but specific cases directly linked to grain exposure are not extensively detailed in the provided abstracts.

Diagnosis

  • Fever is a common symptom but requires context for occupational exposure 13.
  • Neonates and young infants with fever often undergo lumbar puncture for evaluation, though this practice lacks specific guidelines for general neonatal populations 2.
  • Diagnostic testing for Q fever includes serological methods like microimmunofluorescence (MIF) and ELISA for Coxiella burnetii antibodies 1520.
  • Tympanic and non-contact infrared thermometers can be used for temperature measurement in pediatric settings, though accuracy varies 8.
  • Management

  • Antipyretics such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) are commonly used for fever management in pediatric populations 519.
  • For Q fever, specific antibiotic therapy like ciprofloxacin is indicated for acute infections, particularly in pregnant women where treatment must be carefully considered 18.
  • No specific grain-related management protocols are detailed in the abstracts, focusing instead on general fever and Q fever management.
  • Special Populations

  • Pediatrics: Neonates and young infants with fever are often hospitalized or risk-stratified, with close follow-up for low-risk cases 3.
  • Pregnancy: Treatment of Q fever during pregnancy requires cautious antibiotic selection, such as ciprofloxacin post-28 weeks gestation, with close monitoring 18.
  • Occupational Exposure: Farmers, veterinarians, and those in contact with livestock are at higher risk for Q fever; preventive measures and vaccination are recommended 41525.
  • Key Recommendations

  • Perform lumbar puncture cautiously in neonates with fever, guided by clinical risk stratification rather than routine practice 2.
  • Use antipyretics like paracetamol for fever management in pediatric patients, especially in emergency settings 519.
  • For suspected Q fever, especially in occupational exposure settings, conduct serological testing for Coxiella burnetii antibodies 1520.
  • In pregnant women with Q fever, initiate appropriate antibiotic therapy post-28 weeks gestation with close monitoring of both maternal and fetal outcomes 18.
  • Implement preventive measures and consider vaccination for individuals at high occupational risk of Q fever exposure 425 (Evidence: Expert opinion).
  • References

    1 Tidswell EC. An Assessment of Pyrexia, Patient Age and Weight; Pediatric Considerations. PDA journal of pharmaceutical science and technology 2025. link 2 Le DM, Vezzetti R, Earp A, Jung A, Aufricht G. Thrombocytopenia and Adverse Bleeding Events in Neonatal Lumbar Punctures in the Emergency Department. Pediatric emergency care 2024. link 3 Rose E. Pediatric Fever. Emergency medicine clinics of North America 2021. link 4 Groten T, Kuenzer K, Moog U, Hermann B, Maier K, Boden K. Who is at risk of occupational Q fever: new insights from a multi-profession cross-sectional study. BMJ open 2020. link 5 Nelson CE, Ostapenko S, Zorc JJ, Balamuth F. Utilization of Antipyretics for Nonurgent Fever in a Pediatric Emergency Department. Clinical pediatrics 2018. link 6 Simkhada P, van Teijlingen E, Gurung M, Wasti SP. A survey of health problems of Nepalese female migrants workers in the Middle-East and Malaysia. BMC international health and human rights 2018. link 7 Vanguru L, Redfern RE, Wanjiku S, Sunallah R, Mukundan D, Vemuru L. Comparison of pediatric and general emergency medicine practice patterns in infants with fever. Clinical pediatrics 2015. link 8 Apa H, Gözmen S, Bayram N, Çatkoğlu A, Devrim F, Karaarslan U et al.. Clinical accuracy of tympanic thermometer and noncontact infrared skin thermometer in pediatric practice: an alternative for axillary digital thermometer. Pediatric emergency care 2013. link 9 Bernard H, Brockmann SO, Kleinkauf N, Klinc C, Wagner-Wiening C, Stark K et al.. High seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in veterinarians associated with cattle obstetrics, Bavaria, 2009. Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) 2012. link 10 Roberts MJ, Deboy GR, Field WE, Maier DE. Summary of prior grain entrapment rescue strategies. Journal of agricultural safety and health 2011. link 11 Persson J. Semmelweis's methodology from the modern stand-point: intervention studies and causal ontology. Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences 2009. link 12 Gibson KE, Rikihisa Y, Zhang C, Martin C. Neorickettsia risticii is vertically transmitted in the trematode Acanthatrium oregonense and horizontally transmitted to bats. Environmental microbiology 2005. link 13 Pappas G, Giannoutsos C, Christou L, Tsianos E. Coxiella burnetii: an unusual ENT pathogen. American journal of otolaryngology 2004. link 14 Chung PJ, Chung J, Shah MN, Meltzer DO. How do residents learn? The development of practice styles in a residency program. Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association 2003. link003<0166:hdrltd>2.0.co;2) 15 Maltezou HC, Raoult D. Q fever in children. The Lancet. Infectious diseases 2002. link00440-1) 16 Baquero-Artigao F, del Castillo F, Tellez A. Acute Q fever pericarditis followed by chronic hepatitis in a two-year-old girl. The Pediatric infectious disease journal 2002. link 17 Isaacman DJ, Kaminer K, Veligeti H, Jones M, Davis P, Mason JD. Comparative practice patterns of emergency medicine physicians and pediatric emergency medicine physicians managing fever in young children. Pediatrics 2001. link 18 Ludlam H, Wreghitt TG, Thornton S, Thomson BJ, Bishop NJ, Coomber S et al.. Q fever in pregnancy. The Journal of infection 1997. link80014-x) 19 Baraff LJ. Pediatric fever guidelines. The Western journal of medicine 1996. link 20 Kovácová E, Vavreková M, Lukácová M, Daiter AB, Tokarevich NK, Karceva NA et al.. Immunochemical and antigenic characterization of Coxiella burnetii strains isolated in Europe and Mongolia. European journal of epidemiology 1994. link 21 Murphy PP, Richardson SG. Q fever pneumonia presenting as an eosinophilic pleural effusion. Thorax 1989. link 22 Foote RW, Achini R, Römer D. FS 205-397: a new antipyretic analgesic with a paracetamol-like profile of activity but lack of acute hepatotoxicity in mice. Life sciences 1988. link90266-4) 23 Mayer H, Radziejewska-Lebrecht J, Schramek S. Chemical and immunochemical studies on lipopolysaccharides of Coxiella burnetii phase I and phase II. Advances in experimental medicine and biology 1988. link 24 Cooper KE, Blähser S, Malkinson TJ, Merker G, Roth J, Zeisberger E. Changes in body temperature and vasopressin content of brain neurons, in pregnant and non-pregnant guinea pigs, during fevers produced by Poly I:Poly C. Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology 1988. link 25 Bernard KW, Parham GL, Winkler WG, Helmick CG. Q fever control measures: recommendations for research facilities using sheep. Infection control : IC 1982. link 26 Dubois DR, Cutchins EC, Berman S, Lowenthal JP, Timchak RL. Preparation of purified suspensions of Coxiella burneti by Genetron extraction followed by continuous-flow ultracentrifugation. Applied microbiology 1972. link

    Original source

    1. [1]
      An Assessment of Pyrexia, Patient Age and Weight; Pediatric Considerations.Tidswell EC PDA journal of pharmaceutical science and technology (2025)
    2. [2]
      Thrombocytopenia and Adverse Bleeding Events in Neonatal Lumbar Punctures in the Emergency Department.Le DM, Vezzetti R, Earp A, Jung A, Aufricht G Pediatric emergency care (2024)
    3. [3]
      Pediatric Fever.Rose E Emergency medicine clinics of North America (2021)
    4. [4]
      Who is at risk of occupational Q fever: new insights from a multi-profession cross-sectional study.Groten T, Kuenzer K, Moog U, Hermann B, Maier K, Boden K BMJ open (2020)
    5. [5]
      Utilization of Antipyretics for Nonurgent Fever in a Pediatric Emergency Department.Nelson CE, Ostapenko S, Zorc JJ, Balamuth F Clinical pediatrics (2018)
    6. [6]
      A survey of health problems of Nepalese female migrants workers in the Middle-East and Malaysia.Simkhada P, van Teijlingen E, Gurung M, Wasti SP BMC international health and human rights (2018)
    7. [7]
      Comparison of pediatric and general emergency medicine practice patterns in infants with fever.Vanguru L, Redfern RE, Wanjiku S, Sunallah R, Mukundan D, Vemuru L Clinical pediatrics (2015)
    8. [8]
      Clinical accuracy of tympanic thermometer and noncontact infrared skin thermometer in pediatric practice: an alternative for axillary digital thermometer.Apa H, Gözmen S, Bayram N, Çatkoğlu A, Devrim F, Karaarslan U et al. Pediatric emergency care (2013)
    9. [9]
      High seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies in veterinarians associated with cattle obstetrics, Bavaria, 2009.Bernard H, Brockmann SO, Kleinkauf N, Klinc C, Wagner-Wiening C, Stark K et al. Vector borne and zoonotic diseases (Larchmont, N.Y.) (2012)
    10. [10]
      Summary of prior grain entrapment rescue strategies.Roberts MJ, Deboy GR, Field WE, Maier DE Journal of agricultural safety and health (2011)
    11. [11]
      Semmelweis's methodology from the modern stand-point: intervention studies and causal ontology.Persson J Studies in history and philosophy of biological and biomedical sciences (2009)
    12. [12]
    13. [13]
      Coxiella burnetii: an unusual ENT pathogen.Pappas G, Giannoutsos C, Christou L, Tsianos E American journal of otolaryngology (2004)
    14. [14]
      How do residents learn? The development of practice styles in a residency program.Chung PJ, Chung J, Shah MN, Meltzer DO Ambulatory pediatrics : the official journal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association (2003)
    15. [15]
      Q fever in children.Maltezou HC, Raoult D The Lancet. Infectious diseases (2002)
    16. [16]
      Acute Q fever pericarditis followed by chronic hepatitis in a two-year-old girl.Baquero-Artigao F, del Castillo F, Tellez A The Pediatric infectious disease journal (2002)
    17. [17]
    18. [18]
      Q fever in pregnancy.Ludlam H, Wreghitt TG, Thornton S, Thomson BJ, Bishop NJ, Coomber S et al. The Journal of infection (1997)
    19. [19]
      Pediatric fever guidelines.Baraff LJ The Western journal of medicine (1996)
    20. [20]
      Immunochemical and antigenic characterization of Coxiella burnetii strains isolated in Europe and Mongolia.Kovácová E, Vavreková M, Lukácová M, Daiter AB, Tokarevich NK, Karceva NA et al. European journal of epidemiology (1994)
    21. [21]
    22. [22]
    23. [23]
      Chemical and immunochemical studies on lipopolysaccharides of Coxiella burnetii phase I and phase II.Mayer H, Radziejewska-Lebrecht J, Schramek S Advances in experimental medicine and biology (1988)
    24. [24]
      Changes in body temperature and vasopressin content of brain neurons, in pregnant and non-pregnant guinea pigs, during fevers produced by Poly I:Poly C.Cooper KE, Blähser S, Malkinson TJ, Merker G, Roth J, Zeisberger E Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology (1988)
    25. [25]
      Q fever control measures: recommendations for research facilities using sheep.Bernard KW, Parham GL, Winkler WG, Helmick CG Infection control : IC (1982)
    26. [26]
      Preparation of purified suspensions of Coxiella burneti by Genetron extraction followed by continuous-flow ultracentrifugation.Dubois DR, Cutchins EC, Berman S, Lowenthal JP, Timchak RL Applied microbiology (1972)

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