People who are subjected to long-term antibiotic treatment for Q fever are at a higher risk of gaining weight, a new study finds.
Supporting current theories that antibiotics contribute to obesity, a team of international researchers found that patients who are subjected to long-term antibiotic treatment for Q fever are at a higher risk of gaining weight.
The study was conducted on 48 patients who were under long-term treatment for Q fever. They were given doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine - two antibiotics commonly used for treating the disease. 38 people were also included as part of the study's controlled group. After 18 months of treatment, researchers noted that 33 percent of the treated patients put on up to 30 pounds. None of the controlled group subjects put on any weight.
"Doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine treatment exhibited a reproducible effect on the community structure of the gastrointestinal microbiota, with treated patients presenting significantly lower concentrations of beneficial bacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Lactobacilli," said study co-author Angelakis Emmanouil in a statement.
Since only one in four treated patients gained weight, researchers speculate that only a sub category of patients subjected to long-term antibiotic treatment for Q fever are vulnerable to weight gain. Researchers said that a patient's gut microbiota composition prior to antibiotic treatment can help determine whether the patient will put on weight or not.
The study reinforces that Q fever patients being treated with antibiotics should reduce the number of calories consumed in a day.
Q fever is a bacterial infection that can affect the lungs, liver, heart, and other parts of the body. Humans usually get Q fever by breathing in contaminated droplets released by infected animals. Drinking raw milk has also caused infection in rare cases. It usually takes about 20 days after exposure to the bacteria for symptoms to occur. Most cases are mild, yet some severe cases have been reported.
The study will be published in the June 2014 issue of the Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.
