What is Q Fever?

Q fever may not be something of concern to the city folk but it is something that farmers and people handling livestock should become familiar with it. Q fever is spread through the air and is a result of inhaling barnyard dust, which has been infected with a bacterium that has been passed on by sheep, goat and cattle. Q fever is highly contagious.

Q fever was once called Query fever and first surfaced in Queensland, Australia in the 1930's. It is however a rare disease, but experts feel that is because it is left unreported all over the world. There are both the acute and chronic forms of this disease, sufferers from the acute form exhibit flu-like symptoms while the chronic form is more severe and of course lasts longer. Acute Q fever last for a few months if left untreated, however if antibiotics are taken the disease will have an even shorter duration.

Symptoms of acute Q Fever usually surface about 3 weeks after contact with the bacterium: According to the Mayo Clinic the symptoms include

· High fever (up to104 or 105 F)
· Severe headache
· Fatigue
· Sore throat
· Chills
· Sweats
· Dry cough
· Nausea
· Diarrhea
· Muscle pain
· Abdominal pain
· Chest pain
· Clay-colored stools
· Yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
· Weight loss

Some people are fortune enough to escape getting sick, however others are not so lucky, the disease can lead to hepatitis or pneumonia. Still others will develop a purplish rash on the skin,
develop pericarditis (inflammation of the heart),
myocarditis (inflammation of the muscular wall of the heart),
or inflammation of the fluid of the brain and spinal chord (meningitis), and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain).

Chronic Q fever will develop six months or even years after contact and it is can be fatal. The symptoms of Chronic Q Fever include:

· Prolonged fever
· Night sweats
· Chills
· Fatigue
· Shortness of breath

The most common often fatal, symptom is endocarditis (inflammation to the lining of the heart often leading to heart valve damage. Endocarditis results in patients who already suffer from heart problems, kidney disease, a compromised immune system, cancer, or transplant patients.

Causes:

The bacterium that causes Q fever is called Coxiella burnetii and attacks the body's vital organs, including brain, liver, heart, kidneys and lungs. The bacterium can enter the body through inhalation of the particles from the air. The infected animals may have the bacterium on their coats, and in their urine and stools. Therefore handling livestock also facilitates the transmission of the disease. Even though in rural areas, livestock is the culprit, city dweller can also contract the disease from domesticated dogs, cats, birds and rabbits.

You may also be infected through a tick bite jumping from one of the infected animals.

Drinking unpasteurized milk can render you susceptible to the bacterium if it is present.

It is important to seek medical advice immediately if you have been around barnyard animals and all of a sudden you come down with what you believe to be the flu.

The doctor will ask for a blood test and inquire about your exposure to the infected animals as well as your medical history.
Pregnant women must be very careful around barnyard animals. The bacterium that causes Q fever can cause a spontaneous abortion, a premature birth or a child born with a low birth rate.

Treatment

Mild cases generally clear up on their own while antibiotics are also prescribed in more severe cases. Treating chronic Q fever takes up to three years and relapses are known to occur.

To Prevent Q Fever
Be careful handling livestock, constantly wash your hands, use cleaners and disinfectants that protect against Coxiella burnetii, carefully dispose of all animal waste products including animal placenta, drink only pasteurized milk, and get vaccinated against the coxiella burnetti bacterium if you live in Australia. Unfortunately the vaccine is not available in the USA.
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/q-fever/DS00960