Transmission Of The Disease Q Fever And Treatment

Q Fever Treatment

Q fever is an infectious disease caused by the proteobacterial organism known as Coxiella burnetii. While the organism is not commonly found, it can be carried by cattle, goats, sheep and birds and rarely by dogs and cats.

Animals may not show any signs of illness, while the infection often causes miscarriages, especially in sheep and goats. The organism is readily transmissible to human beings; hence, they are more vulnerable to Q fever. The symptoms may range from pneumonia, liver infection, fever and more. Approximately 1 to 2% of infections in humans turn out to be fatal.

Q fever is known to be one of the most infectious diseases in the world. To ensure effective Q fever treatment, you may want to keep certain essential things in mind:

  • Drink pasteurized dairy products
  • On dry days, be sure to avoid farms or places where goats and cattle are kept
  • The main risk from dogs and cats is when they give birth
  • Avoid farms of sheep and goats during lambing seasons

Treatment of Q fever

Q fever treatment with antibiotics can shorten the length of the disease. However, pregnant women and babies are recommended not to take antibiotics without discussing them with doctors.

Most patients get better with proper treatment. However, there could be severe complications that are often life-threatening. Therefore, the illness should be treated the moment symptoms are visible to get better outcomes.

Complications of the illness 

Q fever may cause a heart infection in sporadic cases, resulting in severe symptoms if left untreated. Below are some other complications:

  • Bone infection
  • Liver infection
  • Infection in lungs
  • Brain infection

Prevention of the disease

Pasteurization of milk abolishes the bacteria causing the early symptoms of Q fever. For prevention, domestic animals must be inspected for signs of Q fever if people exposed to them have experienced symptoms of the illness.

Contacting a medical professional 

Calling your healthcare professional for early diagnosis makes sense. Once you experience the symptoms of Q fever, it is necessary to contact your doctor as soon as possible. You may also want to call if you have previously been treated for Q fever and the symptoms have returned.

At Drayton Medical Centre, we know that the illness can be challenging; however, we take great care in providing medical guidance to patients suffering from the rarest diseases. We also recommend vaccination of Q fever for patients that are exposed to the infectious organism. Please be sure to learn more about the prevention protocols we follow to treat Q fever.