Does Q fever need to be reported?
Case Definition. Q fever is a nationally notifiable condition and all Q fever cases should be reported to your state or local health department according to local laws.
What is the incubation period for Q fever?
Incubation period is typically 2–3 weeks but may be shorter after exposure to large numbers of organisms. The most common presentation of acute infection is a self-limiting influenzalike illness, with pneumonia or hepatitis in more severe acute infections.
Can Q fever be transmitted from person to person?
It is very infectious. As few as ten Q fever microbes can start an infection. People can also get Q fever by drinking infected milk, and through skin contact but most infections are spread through the air. Person to person transmission occurs rarely, if ever.
What is the primary treatment for Q fever?
Doxycycline is currently the most used antibiotic therapy for the treatment of individuals with Q fever and is most effective when started within three days of infection.
Can Q fever be cured?
Most people who are sick with Q fever will recover without antibiotic treatment. However, for people who develop Q fever disease, treatment with 2 weeks of doxycycline antibiotic is recommended.
Where is Q fever mostly found?
Introduction. Q fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate gram-negative intracellular bacterium. Most commonly reported in southern France and Australia, Q fever occurs worldwide.
Is Q fever a communicable disease?
Most people recover within several months without any treatment, however antibiotics may be used to shorten the duration of the illness and prevent chronic infection. Q fever does not spread from person to person.
What is the blood test for Q fever?
Serology. The reference standard test for the serologic diagnosis of acute Q fever is the indirect immunofluorescence antibody (IFA) using C. burnetii antigen, performed on paired serum samples to demonstrate a significant (fourfold or more) rise in antibody titers.
Is Q fever a virus or bacteria?
Q fever is a disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii. This bacteria naturally infects some animals, such as goats, sheep, and cattle. C. burnetii bacteria are found in the birth products (i.e. placenta, amniotic fluid), urine, feces, and milk of infected animals.
What antibiotics treat Q fever?
How do you suspect Q fever?
During the acute phase of illness, a sample of whole blood (or serum at some laboratories) can be tested by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to determine if a patient has Q fever. This method is most sensitive in the first week of illness (before the appearance of C.