Repeated fever is actually Q fever! What is Q fever? Changsha Fourth Hospital has the answer!

Recently, Mr. Qiu had recurring high fever and received intravenous drips for several days at a nearby community hospital, but his condition did not improve. So he came to the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Changsha Fourth Hospital for treatment.

Deputy Chief Physician Yuan Hao immediately performed a lung CT scan, which revealed that large areas of the lungs were all white. Deputy Chief Physician Yuan Hao was highly alert and quickly performed bronchoscopy and pathogen tests on Mr. Qiu, helping him quickly make a clear diagnosis.

It turned out that Mr. Qiu was infected with a rare natural epidemic disease: Q fever. After careful inquiry into his medical history, it turned out that he was accidentally injured on the grass when he was traveling not long ago, and the wound may have come into contact with pathogens or ticks. After symptomatic supportive treatment, Mr. Qiu's condition was soon effectively controlled and he recovered and was discharged from the hospital.

Q fever may sound cute, but it is very deadly. What is it? How to prevent it? What should you do if you get it? Let's take a look!

1. What is Q fever?

"Q fever" was discovered and first described by Dr. Derrick in Queensland, Australia in 1937. Because the cause was unknown at the time, it was simply called "Query". "Q fever" is a natural zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii (also known as Q fever Rickettsia) and is an illegal infectious disease.

2. What are the symptoms of Q fever?

High fever (up to 39℃-40℃), headache, lumbar muscle and gastrocnemius muscle pain, may be accompanied by joint pain, etc., among which severe headache is the prominent feature of this disease.

3. What are the dangers if not treated in time?

If it lasts for more than a few months, it can develop into chronic Q fever, with the main manifestations being endocarditis, chronic hepatitis, osteomyelitis, etc. Acute Q fever usually has a good prognosis, and without treatment, the mortality rate is about 1%. Chronic Q fever, if untreated, often leads to death due to endocarditis, with a mortality rate of 30-65%.

4. Who is susceptible to infection?

The general population is susceptible.

5. What is the source of infection of Q fever?

The source of infection mainly comes from livestock, such as cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys, dogs, camels, pigs, etc.;

The pathogen can also be isolated from rodents such as voles and rabbits and birds such as pigeons and geese;

The secretions, excretions, placenta, amniotic fluid and virus-carrying tick feces of the above-infected livestock are the main sources of Q fever infection.

6. How is it spread?

(1) Respiratory transmission. When slaughtering livestock, handling fur, or cleaning barns, pathogens form aerosols along with dust, which can cause infection if inhaled by humans.

(2) Contact transmission: Through contact with sick animals or tick feces, pathogens can invade the human body through damaged skin and mucous membranes.

(3) Digestive tract transmission: drinking contaminated water, eating infected meat, and drinking raw cow or goat milk.

(4) Human-to-human transmission is rare.

7. Will the disease occur immediately after infection?

No, the incubation period of Q fever is 12 to 39 days, with an average of 18 days.

8. How to prevent Q fever?

(1) Strengthen the management of livestock and poultry, and strictly disinfect livestock excrement, placenta and the contaminated environment.

(2) Do not buy uninspected meat, do not eat raw or undercooked meat, and do not drink raw milk.

(3) Strengthen rat and tick control.

(4) Workers who have close contact with livestock in places such as slaughterhouses, meat processing plants, and fur tanneries must strengthen personal protection while working.

(5) Take good personal protection. When doing outdoor activities, wear long sleeves and long pants, spray tick repellent to prevent tick bites, and avoid sitting or lying for a long time in places where ticks are likely to appear, such as grass and forests.

(6) If you experience high fever, severe headache, or other discomfort, go to the hospital promptly and inform your doctor of any suspicious epidemiological history.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Huang Jian from Changsha Fourth Hospital

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(Edited by Wx)