Verified By Apollo Hospitals October 1, 2024
Q fever is a bacterial infection that is caused by Coxiella burnetii. It is a common bacteria found in sheep, cattle and goats across the world. You can get Q fever when you breathe in dust that an infected animal .
Veterinarians, farmers and people working with these animals in their labs are at the risk of being infected by Q fever. The bacteria are present in the highest amount in the birth products of an infected animal.
Most people recover from Q fever all by themselves, but more severe cases require antibiotic treatment. So, when you experience symptoms of Q fever, you should get in touch with a doctor as soon as possible.
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Symptoms of this disorder do not appear until about 2-3 weeks after being exposed to the bacteria. Nevertheless, you may develop an infection and not show any symptoms. In case symptoms do appear, they are usually mild.
Symptoms of Q fever vary considerably from one person to the other. Some of the symptoms of Q fever might include:
A rash is also a symptom of Q fever, but it isn’t common.
Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii bacterium that is commonly found in goats, sheep and cattle. The bacterium can infect pets, including dogs, cats and rabbits.
The animals transmit bacteria through their feces, urine, birthing products and milk. As these substances dry, they become a part of barnyard dust floating in the air. The infection is usually transmitted to humans through their lungs when they inhale contaminated barnyard dust.
In rare cases, drinking unpasteurized milk might cause infection. The bacteria can’t spread directly from one human to the other. The actual frequency of Q fever is not known, as in most cases, such cases are not reported.
Whenever you experience more than one symptom of Q fever, you should consult a doctor.
Request an appointment at Apollo Hospitals.
Call 1860-500-1066 to book an appointment.
Certain factors might increase the risk of being infected with the Q fever bacteria. These include:
The recurrence of Q fever can affect your liver, heart, lungs and brain, giving rise to severe complications, like:
The risk of developing the deadly form of the infection is higher in people who have:
In several countries, vaccines have been successful for people working in high-risk environments.
If you are at a high risk of developing Q fever and are not vaccinated, you need to take the following preventive steps:
The treatment depends primarily on the severity of the symptoms:
Usually, antibiotics are effective. Death from the disease is uncommon. But, it would help if you visited a doctor to diagnose the infection as soon as you experience the symptoms.
Without treatment, symptoms might last for 2-6 weeks. Most people make a complete recovery and become immune to repeated infections.
Chronic Q fever is serious and might be deadly when not treated correctly. After being detected, it requires months of antibiotic treatment.
Q fever occurs across the world.
People who have Q fever will recover without any antibiotic treatment. However, people with chronic Q fever should take antibiotics.