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Q Fever - Early
DefinitionQ fever is an infectious disease acquired from animals, caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii.
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii, an organism that lives in domestic animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, and cats. Some wild animals and ticks also carry the bacteria.
People get Q fever after exposure to contaminated food or raw (unpasteurized) milk, or after inhaling dust or droplets in the air which are contaminated with animal feces, blood, or birth products.
The incubation period is usually 2 to 3 weeks. The disorder may range from no symptoms to moderately severe symptoms resembling influenza. If symptoms occur, they may last for several weeks.
People at risk for infection include slaughterhouse workers, veterinarians, researchers, food processors, and sheep and cattle workers. Men are more commonly infected than women, and most patients are between 30 and 70 years old.
This disorder is occasionally seen in children, especially those who live on a farm. If found in children younger than 3 years old, Q fever is usually during evaluation to discover the cause of pneumonia.
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• Definition
• Early Q Fever Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Early Q Fever Symptoms & Signs
• Early Q Fever Prevention
• Early Q Fever Diagnosis & Tests
• Early Q Fever Treatment
• Early Q Fever Prognosis
• Early Q Fever Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Encephalitis
• Endocarditis
• Osteomyelitis
• Pneumonia
• Q Fever
• The Flu
Tests & Exams
• Chest X-Ray
Other Topics
• Abdominal Pain
• Chest Pain
• Cough
• Fever
• Headache
• Hepatomegaly
• Jaundice - Yellow Skin
• Joint Pain
• Muscle Aches
• Physical Examination
• Ticks
Review Date : 7/31/2002
Reviewed By : Christopher Parsons, M.D., Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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