Q Fever, 2017

Q fever is an acute or chronic illness caused by Coxiella burnetii.

Cattle, sheep, and goats are the primary sources of human infection. Transmission can occur through contact with infected animal tissue, inhalation of aerosolized bacteria, ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products, and tick bites.

In 2017, 3 confirmed cases were reported, 2 acute and 1 chronic. The acute Q fever cases were a 46 year-old and 62 year-old who were most likely exposed through contact with goats; the chronic case was a 65 year-old who had an undetermined animal exposure. The chronic and 1 acute case were hospitalized, for 9 and 7 days respectively; all cases survived.

From 1997 to 2017, 21 confirmed acute cases, and 6 confirmed chronic cases were reported. The median age of acute cases was 58 years (range, 11 to 76 years); the median age of chronic cases was 65 years (range, 23 to 75 years). Ten (83%) cases for which both race and ethnicity were known were white, non-Hispanic, 1 (8%) was black, non-Hispanic, and 1 (8%) was mixed race, non-Hispanic. During this time, 16 (76%) of the 21 cases for whom exposure information was available were likely exposed through direct or indirect contact with infected animals, 3 (14%) were likely exposed through ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products, and 2 (10%) through a tick bite. Seven (50%) of the 14 cases with known occupations were employed in an agriculture-related occupation.

• For more information see>> Reporting Q Fever
  
• Full issue>> Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health, 2017