Q Fever, 2015

Q fever is an acute or chronic illness caused by the bacterium C. burnetti. 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 2015, 2 confirmed cases of acute Q fever were reported. There were no chronic cases reported. The cases were 58 and 60 years old, both male. Both were hospitalized for 12 and 3 days respectively and survived. Both cases lived on or near a beef cattle farm.

From 1997 to 2015, 19 confirmed acute cases and 4 confirmed chronic cases of Q fever were reported. The median age of acute cases was 58 years (range, 11 to 76 years); the median age of chronic cases was 32 years (range, 23 to 75 years). Six (75%) cases for which both race and ethnicity were known were white, non-Hispanic, 1 (13%) was black, non-Hispanic, and 1 (13%) was mixed race, non-Hispanic. During this time, 13 (76%) of the 17 cases for whom exposure information was available were likely exposed through direct or indirect contact with infected animals, 2 (12%) were likely exposed through ingestion of unpasteurized dairy products, and 2 (12%) through a tick bite. Five (42%) of the 12 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, 2015