•Q Fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella Burnetii.  Infected animals excrete the bacteria in their milk, urine, and feces.  It is common in cattle, goats, and sheep.  The bacteria is resistant to heat, drying, and most household disinfectants.  The bacteria is capable of surviving for long periods due to these resistances which makes it an opportune weapon for a bio-terrorist attack.

 

 

 

Gold shadowed electromicrograph of Coxiella burnetii and,
as a size contrast, an ordinary bacterium "diphtheroid".
 

 

 

 

Humans catch the disease through inhalation of particles containing the bacteria.  About half of those infected show symptoms of the disease and less than 2 per cent die from it.  Symptoms of Q fever include a high fever, headache, sore throat, chills, sweats, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and chest pain.  The symptoms show up two to three weeks after exposure.  Using antibiotics to treat the illness works best in the first three days symptoms are noticable.  

 

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