“We had a few people get Q fever, including our daughter, but we didn’t know it was Q fever” – Cameron

January 28, 2016

“It’s the largest farm-associated outbreak in Australia’s history. So we’ve had large abattoir-associated outbreaks and a large single outbreak where there were 25 cases previously at a saleyard in South Australia in 2004. But, yeah, at 24 cases, this is – this is the largest by far of any of the single farm-associated outbreaks and … More “We had a few people get Q fever, including our daughter, but we didn’t know it was Q fever” – Cameron

Mildura Mayor’s denial of Q Fever risks: A critical assessment

August 25, 2015

Mildura Mayor Glenn Milne [1] has repeatedly denied any risks of Q Fever outbreak from the re-opening of an abattoir in Mildura South [2, 3, 4, 5]. Cr Milne’s willingness to publicly dismiss the concerns of nearby residents, in a blanket fashion, without addressing – in any meaningful detail – the arguments put forth, seems to indicate … More Mildura Mayor’s denial of Q Fever risks: A critical assessment

“Primary infection or recrudescence in pregnancy can lead to abortion, premature birth or neonatal death” – QLD Health

August 22, 2015

“Reported clinical symptoms vary by country. It is estimated that 60% of cases in adults are asymptomatic. In Australia, acute Q fever most commonly presents as an influenza-like illness with varying degrees of pneumonia and hepatitis. Fever is not always present. The case fatality rate is 1-2%. Myocarditis is rare but is one of the … More “Primary infection or recrudescence in pregnancy can lead to abortion, premature birth or neonatal death” – QLD Health

“There are numerous reports of sporadic cases or outbreaks in the general population” – Fed. Dept. of Health

August 21, 2015

“C. burnetii is highly infectious and can survive in the environment. The organism is transmitted to humans via the inhalation of infected aerosols or dust. Those most at risk include workers from the meat and livestock industries and shearers, with non-immune new employees or visitors being at highest risk of infection. Nevertheless, Q fever is … More “There are numerous reports of sporadic cases or outbreaks in the general population” – Fed. Dept. of Health

Journal extract: Raoult et al. (2002)

August 21, 2015

“Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, may result in abortions, premature deliveries, and stillbirths in infected pregnant women […] Our results show that C burnetii infections cause abortion and that women who develop Q fever while pregnant should be treated with co-trimoxazole for the duration of pregnancy, specifically when infected during the first trimester.” Source: Q fever … More Journal extract: Raoult et al. (2002)

“Pregnant women who contract Q fever have increased risk of complications” – NSW Health

August 20, 2015

“Pregnant women who contract Q fever have increased risk of complications, such as miscarriage, particularly during the 1st trimester of pregnancy […] Pregnant women, the immunocompromised, and those with known heart valve defects should be excluded from high risk situations, unless they are immune.” Source: Q Fever and Veterinary Staff

Journal extract: Ayres et al. (1998)

August 20, 2015

“These findings were similar to those in Australian abbatoir workers occupationally exposed to Q fever. CDC criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome were fulfilled by 42.3% of cases and 26% of controls. Using visual analogue scores, symptoms were more severe in cases than in controls. Our findings support the existence of a chronic fatigue state following … More Journal extract: Ayres et al. (1998)

Journal extract: Wallensten et al. (2010)

August 16, 2015

“We describe the investigation of an outbreak of Q fever in the town of Cheltenham, England. The outbreak was detected in June 2007, and prospective and retrospective case finding identified 30 confirmed or probable human cases. The investigation identified windborne spread of Coxiella burnetii from nearby sheep farms as the most likely source of infection … More Journal extract: Wallensten et al. (2010)