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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffQ fever is caused by a specific type of bacteria carried by animals, most commonly sheep, goats and cattle. When you inhale barnyard dust particles contaminated by infected animals, you may become infected.
Most people with Q fever have no initial symptoms, but some experience flu-like symptoms or develop pneumonia or hepatitis. This acute form of Q fever can lead to chronic Q fever, which is a serious disease that can last three to four years, can affect your heart, liver, brain and lungs, and is often fatal.
Acute Q fever usually clears up within a few weeks with no treatment. If you have symptoms, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotics. Chronic Q fever requires specific antibiotic treatment, multiple follow-up tests and possibly surgery.
- Q fever fact sheet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/qfever/. Accessed May 1, 2009.
- Hartzell JD, et al. Q fever: Epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2008;83:574.
- Raoult D. Clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of Q fever. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 1, 2009.
- Raoult D. Q fever endocarditis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 1, 2009.
- Maurin M, et al. Q fever. American Society for Microbiology Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 1999;12(4):518.
- Tissot-Dupont H. Q fever. Infectious Disease Clinics of North America. 2008;22:505.
- Marrie TJ, et al. Coxiella burnetii (Q fever). In: Mandell GL et al. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2005. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/140205849-3/846136203/1259/1538.html#4-u1.0-B0-443-06643-4..50189-6_6250. Accessed May 1, 2009.
- Raoult D. Q Fever. In: Rakel RE. Conn's Current Therapy. 6th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/140205849-3/846136203/1621/69.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4435-2..50036-4_501. Accessed May 1, 2009.
