| Q fever | |||||
 |
print this page |  |
email this page | ||
Q fever is a serious infection which is caused by a bacteria (Coxiella burnetti) found in infected animals and passed onto humans.
People can be infected by the bacteria that causes Q fever by unintentionally inhaling tiny droplets of the infected bacteria when bodily fluids such as faeces, urine and birth material especially are excreted by an infected animal.
Q fever can adversely affect the lungs, liver, heart especially, but it can also affect other tissues and organs of the body.
Q fever can be either one of the following types:
- Acute Q fever- sudden and severe onset of symptoms after exposure to the bacteria Coxiella burnetti
- Chronic Q fever - this develops in people who have been infected with the bacteria Coxiella burnetti for over 6 months without effective treatment
Both acute and chronic Q fever can cause death of the bacteria proliferates too quickly and medication is not prescribed quickly enough. The incidence of death due to Q fever is about 1-2% of all reported cases of the condition.
People at the highest risk of Q fever infection are:
- Abattoir workers
- Dairy workers
- Farmers
- Laboratory technicians who work with the organism
- People who cull and process kangaroos
- People who transport livestock
- Shearers
- Sheep workers
- Veterinarians
Symptoms of Q fever do not usual present until an incubation period of about 20 days from exposure to the bacteria. Only about half of all people infected with the bacteria that causes Q fever ever show any symptoms.
Symptoms of acute Q fever:
- Chest pain when breathing
- Clay-colored stools
- Cough
- Fever
- Headache
- Jaundice
- Muscle pains
- Shortness of breath
Symptoms of chronic Q fever:
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Prolonged fever
- Shortness of breath
Some serious symptoms of untreated acute Q fever are:
- Endocarditis - serious inflammation of the heart
- Hepatitis - serious disease of the liver
- Myocarditis - inflammation of the covering of the heart
- Pneumonia - serious infection of the lungs
Many animals can cause Q fever , especially if they have an active infection at the time.
Q fever has been found in the following animals - birds, cats, cattle, dogs, goats, rodents, sheep, ticks, which can cause Q fever in humans when it is passed through breathing in or touching infected urine, faeces, birth material and milk.
The animals that predominantly cause Q fever are:
- Cattle
- Goats
- Sheep
Diagnosis and testing
Q Fever is diagnosed with the following tests / examinations:
- Blood test - to determine if there are are antibodies to the Coxiella burnetti bacteria
- History of symptoms - your doctor will ask a series of questions about the symptoms
- Physical examination - to detect the severity of the condition and symptoms
Conventional treatment
The conventional treatment for Q fever are antibiotics, sometimes in conjunction with other medications:
- Acute Q fever - early onset of symptoms are treated with Doxycycline to kill the bacteria before it can cause severe symptoms
- Chronic Q fever - a combination of medications is used to treat the chronic infection, including Doxycycline (antibiotic) and Hydroxychloroquine or Quinolones (antimalarial); the antimalarial medications are required to treat the hepatitis symptoms that often develop with this condition; chronic Q fever is much harder to treat and medications may need to be taken for up to 5 years
Alternative / complementary treatment
Always ensure that you notify your medical practitioner of any supplements that you want to take - it may interfere with other medication or conditions you have. Confirm with your doctor it is safe to take BEFORE you try it.
There is very little literature supporting alternative or complementary treatments for Q fever, but there is some evidence that a strong immune system will not be infected or infection will be mild. The following are strategies for increase immunity and should only be undertaken with the approval and monitoring of a doctor, as this condition can be very serious.
- Dietary changes- the best way of enhancing the immune system
is through diet
- Drink more water - hydrating the body properly is an effective way to ensure the mucous membranes trap and expel the bacteria before it has a chance to infect the body; 8-10 glasses of water are recommended each day (1 glass =250ml)
- Eat more fruit and vegetables - these foods have a high antioxidant content and contain many other vital nutrients
- Eat more garlic and onions - both foods have high anti-bacterial properties and have a protective effect on the immune system
- Herbs - studies show the following herbs all have potent anti-bacterial properties
and may reduce some symptoms
- Echinacea
- Garlic
- Olive leaf
- Lifestyle changes- certain lifestyle factors may lower immunity and provide a more suitable environment for the bacteria to invade and infect
- Limit alcohol intake - heavy drinking puts a great buden on the liver which is one of the organs that is infected in Q fever, in addition, heavy drinking also lowers immunity
- Stop smoking - the lungs are the first organ to get infected and breathing may be difficult, so smoking only puts an added burden on the lungs and exacerbates symptoms
- Minerals - certain minerals have high antioxidant content and have a protective effect on the body and enhance immunity
- Selenium - studies show this mineral has a protective effect on the immune system
- Zinc - studies show this mineral reduces severity and length of symptoms of colds and flu
- Nutrients - certain nutrients have antioxidant properties and may protect the immune system
- Alpha-lipoic acid - an amino acids which is a major antioxidant
- Cod liver oil - this potent oil contains high levels of vitamin A and vitamin D, which help to restore mucous membranes to normal, assist with immunity and has anti-inflammatory properties
- Coenzyme Q10 - studies have shown that this nutrient appears to be low in people with chronic bronchitis, improving oxygenation in the blood
- N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) - studies show that NAC loosens mucous, making breathing easier and alleviating other symptoms
- Omega 3 fatty acids - studies show these have potent anti-inflammatory properties that may assist with symptoms
- Quercetin - studies show that people who eat foods high in quercetin develop less respiratory infections
- Vitamins - certain vitamins may help reduce symptoms or even prevent this condition altogether
- Vitamin A - this nutrient is important to ensure the membranes lining the bronchi are healthy; studies show that vitamin A is important in reducing symptoms by reducing inflammation of the bronchi
- Betacarotene - this is the precursor to vitamin A, so it has the same properties
- Vitamin C - studies show that vitamin C help to reduce the incidence of respiratory infections and assist with healing the lining of the bronchi, by reducing inflammation and irritation
- Vitamin E - this vitamin has an important role in maintaining the immune system and helps to improve symptoms and may protect against getting it in the first place
- There is a vaccine available for Q fever which has been developed in Australia and it is advised for people who are at the highest risk of coming into contact with animals infected with this disease
- People working in the livestock industry with cattle and livestock industry are at the highest risk of developing this condition
- People with Q fever should register their condition, to prevent it spreading and to help monitor their condition
- Q fever has been reported all over the world
- Q fever was first discovered in abattoir workers in Queensland (Australia) in the 1930's
- The "Q" in Q fever means "query" as scientists at the time were querying the reason for the disease - they didn't know what caused it
- Coxiella burnetii is a highly infectious disease that is quite resistant to heat and which can become airborne and inhaled by humans
references
- Carcopino X, Raoult D, Bretelle F, Boubli L, Stein A. Managing Q fever during pregnancy: the benefits of long-term cotrimoxazole therapy. Clin Infect Dis. 2007 Sep 1;45(5):548-55. Epub 2007 Jul 17
- Chiu CK, Durrheim DN. A review of the efficacy of human Q fever vaccine registered in Australia. NSW Public Health Bulletin. 2007 Jul-Aug; 18 (7-8):133-6
- Fournier PE, Etienne J, Harle JR: Myocarditis, a rare but severe manifestation of Q fever: report of 8 cases and review of the literature. Clin Infect Dis 2001 May 15; 32(10): 1440-7
- Fournier PE, Marrie TJ, Raoult D: Diagnosis of Q fever. J Clin Microbiol 1998 Jul; 36(7): 1823-34
- Jover-Díaz F, Robert-Gates J, Andreu-Gimenez L, Merino-Sanchez J. Q fever during pregnancy: an emerging cause of prematurity and abortion. Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol. 2001;9(1):47-9
- Raoult D, Fenollar F, Stein A. Q fever during pregnancy: diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Arch Intern Med. 2002 Mar 25;162(6):701-4
- Zamboni DS, Rabinovitch M. Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells increases the susceptibility of macrophages to infection with Coxiella burnetii phase II through down-modulation of nitric oxide production. Infect Immun. 2004 Apr;72(4):2075-80
To learn more, go to the following web sites:
- Australian Q Fever Register
- Q Fever Management Program (Australia)
- Q Fever Vaccine Supply - CSL (Australia)
- Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (USA)
