Edward J Dubovi, PhD, Director, Virology Section Diagnostic Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, discusses coxiella burnetii, which causes Q fever, and its manifestations in animals and humans.

Summary
1. Coxiella burnettii, which causes Q fever, is a ubiquitous bacteria capable of infecting a wide variety of species, including dogs, cats, cows, horses, sheep, goats and humans. It was initially identified in the 1940’s but interest in it waned in the 1950’s when pasteurization of milk eliminated any specific threat to people.
2. In humans, it manifests itself as a severe upper respiratory infection, and approximately 5% of cases will develop a chronic infection which can lead to cardiac damage.

Frangoulidis D, Rodolakis A, Heiser V, Landt O, Splettstoesser W, Meyer H. DNA microarray-chip based diagnosis of Q-fever (Coxiella burnetii). Clin Microbiol Infect. 2009 Mar 11.