Q fever

Q fever is an infection caused by bacteria called Coxiella burnetii.

Q fever is a zoonotic disease, which means it spreads from animals to people. It’s usually spread from farm animals such as cattle and sheep, but it can also spread from domestic animals such as dogs and cats.

You can get Q fever by breathing in dust particles that contain the Coxiella burnetii bacteria.

Q fever can cause:

• symptoms similar to the flu
• no symptoms at all
• chronic (long-lasting) illness

Common symptoms of Q fever include:

• fever
• severe headaches
• extreme fatigue (tiredness)
• muscle aches and joint pain
• dry cough and sore throat
• photophobia (sensitivity to light)
• nausea and vomiting

About half of people with Q fever have no symptoms. If symptoms develop, they usually start 1 to 3 weeks after you are infected.

Without treatment, symptoms can last up to 6 weeks.

Q fever is caused by bacteria called Coxiella burnetii. It's spread to humans from animals such as:  

• cattle
• sheep
• goats
• dogs
• cats
• kangaroos
• camels

Animals with Q fever often look healthy, but they can still spread the bacteria to people.

It's very unlikely for Q fever to spread from person to person.

How can an animal infect me with Q fever?

Q fever is most often spread by breathing in air or dust particles that contain the Coxiella burnetii bacteria. This happens when you inhale particles from dried animal:

• urine (wee)
• faeces (poo)
• placenta or fluids from birth

You can also become infected by handling:

• infected animals
• animal products, such as wool or hides
• materials that have come into contact with animals, such as straw or clothing

Drinking unpasteurised (unsterilised) milk may also increase your chance of developing Q fever. Pasteurisation is a process that kills the bacteria in milk.

See your doctor as soon as possible if you develop symptoms of Q fever after contact with animals. Make sure you tell your doctor about any recent animal exposure.

If you think you may be at risk of Q fever at work, talk with your doctor about vaccination.

Q fever is usually diagnosed based on your symptoms and any contact you have had with animals. If your doctor suspects you have Q fever, they may refer you for a blood test to confirm the diagnosis.

Q fever is a notifiable disease. This means that your doctor must report any confirmed cases to the public health authorities. Public health authorities may investigate the cause of infection to:

• help prevent or control an outbreak
• identify other people at risk of infection. This is called contact tracing.

Q fever is usually treated with antibiotics. If you get treated early you're more likely to recover quickly.

Chronic (long-term) Q fever may need treatment with long-term antibiotics.

Complications from Q fever are rare, but may include:

• pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs)
• hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
• endocarditis (infection of the heart valves)
• liver disease

About 1 in 10 people develop chronic Q fever. This is when infection lasts for more than 6 months.

You have a higher chance of developing chronic Q fever if you:

• have a weakened immune system
• have heart valve disease (when your heart’s valves cannot open or close properly)
• are a transplant recipient (have received a donated organ)
• have cancer
• have chronic kidney disease
• are pregnant

Infection with Q fever during pregnancy can lead to:

• miscarriage (Opens in new tab) (pregnancy loss before 20 weeks of pregnancy)
• stillbirth (Opens in new tab) (birth of a baby who has died any time after 20 weeks of pregnancy)
• premature birth (Opens in new tab)
• low birth weight (Opens in new tab)

You can help prevent complications of Q fever through early diagnosis and treatment.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent Q fever infection. Vaccination is recommended for all people aged 15 years and over who:

• work in high-risk occupations
• may be exposed to Q fever

Before you receive a vaccination, your doctor will organise a blood test and skin test. This is to check your immunity to Q fever — you can’t receive the vaccine if you have already been vaccinated or have had Q fever in the past.

Q fever vaccine is given as a single dose. You will not need a booster dose.

Q fever vaccination for high-risk occupations

Q fever vaccination is recommended for:

• abattoir workers in cattle, sheep and goat abattoirs
• farmers, stockyard workers and livestock transporters
• vets, vet nurses and vet students
• agricultural college staff and students
• wildlife park and zoo workers
• professional dog and cat breeders
• shearers and wool sorters

You do not need to be vaccinated if you have previously had Q fever or been vaccinated against Q fever.

Other ways to prevent Q fever

To reduce your risk of infection with Q fever you should:

• wash your hands after touching animals
• wear a properly fitted P2/N95 face mask and gloves when working with animals
• wash any animal fluids, such as urine or blood, from equipment where possible
• cover wounds with waterproof dressings when working with animals
• remove and wash clothing worn when working with animals — take it off before going home
• follow the work health and safety advice of your employer

Try to avoid taking work clothing home. This helps to reduce the chance of infecting other household members. If you do take your work clothes home, make sure you wash them separately. These items should only be handled by people who have been vaccinated against Q fever.

The Australian Immunisation Handbook (Opens in new tab) offers information on Q fever infection and vaccination (Opens in new tab).

Safe Work Australia (Opens in new tab) provides a factsheet on occupational lung diseases, such as Q fever (Opens in new tab).

Read more about the Notifiable Diseases System in Australia (Opens in new tab) on the Australian Centre for Disease Control.