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Cause:
Bacterium Coxiella burnetii.
Illness and treatment:
Acute Q fever symptoms are fevers, chills, retrobulbar headache, malaise, weakness, and
severe sweats. Chronic Q fever manifests primarily as endocarditis. Treatment is with antibiotics.
Sources:
The most common reservoirs are sheep, cattle, and goats. Infected animals are usually asymptomatic,
but shed the organism in birth products as well as urine, feces, and milk. A common exposure
mechanism is inhalation of dust from premises contaminated by placental tissues, birth fluids, or
excreta of infected animals.
Prevention:
Consume only pasteurized milk and dairy products. Appropriately dispose of animal birth products.
Restrict access to barns and facilities housing potentially infected animals.
Recent Washington trends:
Each year there are 0 to 2 reports.
2010:
Three cases, with one death, were reported. Two cases with possible exposures identified had
residences near livestock farms.
Purpose of Reporting and Surveillance
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To identify the source of infection (e.g., an outbreak at a rendering plant) and prevent
further transmission from that source to others
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To educate potentially exposed persons about signs and symptoms of disease, thereby
facilitating early diagnosis
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To raise the index of suspicion of a possible bioterrorism event if no natural
exposure source is identified
Legal Reporting Requirements
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Health care providers:
notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 24 hours
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Health care facilities:
notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 24 hours
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Laboratories:
Coxiella burnetii notifiable to local health jurisdiction within 24 hours;
specimen submission is required – culture (2 business days)
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Veterinarians:
Suspected human cases notifiable within 24 hours to the local health jurisdiction;
animal cases notifiable to Washington State Department of Agriculture (see:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=16-70)
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Local health jurisdictions:
notifiable to DOH Communicable Disease Epidemiology (CDE) within 7 days of case investigation
completion or summary information required within 21 days
Last update
December 2011 |
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