Investigation of Coxiella burneti infection as a possible cause of chronic liver disease in man

The possible role of Coxiella burneti as a cause of chronic liver disease in man was investigated in Cyprus. Serology, using the complement fixation test and phase 1 and phase 2 antigens, was performed on 16 patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis and two patients with chronic active hepatitis. Antibody studies were also done on 106 adult Cypriot villagers and on 13 shepherds from flocks infected with C. burneti, to provide a base line for comparative purposes. No evidence was found to implicate the organism as a cause of chronic liver disease. As the number of patients investigated was small it was not possible to exclude C. burneti as an occasional pathogen, and guiding principles were formulated for future investigations.