2021年彰化縣Ｑ熱群聚事件調查報告

Investigation of Q Fever Cluster in Changhua County, 2021

2021年4月至8月間，彰化縣有8位民眾確診Q熱，其中7位居住田中鎮，1位居住溪湖鎮。疫情調查發現，田中鎮病例有居住地緣相關性，住家半徑5公里範圍內有畜牧場，研判為群聚事件。溪湖鎮病例與田中鎮病例並未相識，且無共通接觸史，研判為散發病例。確診病例住家範圍內畜牧場並未發現動物流產率增加，且動物流產死胎或排泄物處理流程未發現異常。因Q熱可經由空氣傳播，故推測本次疫情為Q熱病原體形成氣溶膠(aerosol)形式懸浮於空氣中，並經由風散佈造成附近居民感染。疾病管制署與彰化縣政府攜手積極防治，提醒轄區內醫療院所加強疑似病例通報，也辦理獸醫師、畜牧場工作人員講習，提高人員警覺性，落實畜牧場環境消毒，監測畜牧動物流產率及妥善處理流產死胎及排泄物。

From April to August 2021, 8 patients in Changhua County were diagnosed with Q fever. Seven of them lived in Tianzhong town, and one lived in Xihu town. The local health department conducted an epidemiological investigation and found that these cases were geographically related, and livestock farms were identified within 5 kilometers of their residences. Because Q fever pathogens may be transmitted through air, we speculated that the cluster might be caused by aerosol from stock breeding.
Taiwan Centers for Disease Control and the Changhua County Government implemented various prevention and control measures, reminding medical institutions to report suspected cases and conducting educational workshops for veterinarians and livestock farm staff to increase alertness. Others included environmental disinfection of livestock farms, monitoring the abortion rate of livestock animals, and proper disposal. All the efforts from the central and local governments, including epidemic investigation and prevention, provide a reference for management of similar scenarios in the future.