Q fever is a disease with symptoms similar to influenza.
It mainly affects people who work with livestock as it is mainly spread to humans from cattle, sheep and goat.
You can get Q fever from infected animals by breathing in airborne droplets of their urine, milk, faeces (droppings) or birth products that contain the Coxiella burnetii bacteria.
Sheep, cattle, goats, cats, dogs, bandicoots, feral rodents, kangaroos, birds, and ticks can all spread Q fever.
It is also possible to get Q fever by drinking unpasteurised milk from an infected animal or by inhaling dust from wool, hides (animal skins) or straw that has been infected with the Coxiella burnetti bacteria.
Q fever can cause flu-like symptoms, including:
If untreated Q fever can cause long-term health complications such as:
The vaccine against Q fever offers high levels of protection against Q fever. But you must have a skin test before you get the vaccine to make sure you are not already immune.
If you have the vaccine and are already immune to Q fever, you could have a severe reaction such as abscesses (boils or cysts) at the injection site, fever, headaches and muscle pains.
For detailed information, speak to your health professional.
