Q Fever Action Network

“Sheep, goats, and cattle are considered the most common reservoirs of C. burnetii, which is excreted in milk, urine, feces, and birth material from infected animals. In the Netherlands, Smit et al. demonstrated a strong association between human Q fever and the number of goats within a 5-km radius of the residential address. In another … More Journal extract: Casey et al. (2015)

“The most common mode of transmission in humans is inhalation of infectious aerosols directly from birth fluids of infected animals or via inhalation of dust contaminated with dried birth fluids or excreta. C. burnetii is extremely resistant to physical stresses, including heat and desiccation and can survive in the environment for months to years. The … More Journal extract: Anderson et al. (2013)

“Linking a single dairy-goat farm to a human Q-fever cluster, we show widespread transmission, massive numbers of undetected infections, and high attack rates on- and off-farm, even beyond a 5-km high-risk zone. Our investigation may serve as an essential case study for risk assessment in public health and related fields such as bioterrorism response and … More Journal extract: Hackert et al. (2012)

“Coxiella burnetii is an extremely infectious, zoonotic agent that causes Q fever in humans. With the exception of New Zealand, the bacterium is distributed worldwide. Coxiella is classified as a select agent based on its past and potential use as a bioweapon and its threat to public health. Despite decades of research, we know relatively … More Journal extract: Minnick and Raghavan (2011)

“C. burnetii, a purple bacterium of the gamma subdivision, is the causative agent of Q fever. Most human infections are acquired through inhalation of contaminated aerosols of animal origin and can lead to an acute self-limiting febrile illness and severe, chronic cases of endocarditis or hepatitis […] C. burnetii can survive for months in the … More Journal extract: Raghavan et al. (2008)