What are the side effects of Q Fever?

We did a disease research paper, and this disease was one of the diseases you could research. I've wanted to know what it is ever since. Is it from a tick bite?, because thats what i always assumed.

You are darn lucky that we just studdied that in microbiology. Q fever is caused by a bacteria called Coxiella burnetti (Q stands for query becuase they didn't know what it was at first). It spends part of its life cycle in ticks but is not spread to humans by ticks or mites or lice, but rather is inhaled in dust or ingested in unpasturized milk. There is no rash but symptoms include atypical pneumonia and liver infection.

My grandson became very ill while serving in Iraq. The doctors treated him for hepatitis A, He was then transferred to a hospital in Germany. They diagnosed him as having "Q" fever. He was returned to the U.S. where he now is responding to treatment . Report It

More information for you: Coxiella burnetii, a bacteria of the Rickettsia genus can be found in ticks and also raw milk and goat chees, contaminated animal hides, infected newborn animals and the placentae from these births to name a few sources. Usually in goats, sheep and cattle but not limited to these. One infected will experience flu-like symptoms, gastrointestinal disorders (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) and abnormal results of liver function tests. About 30%-50% will develop atypical pneumonia and a few will develop true hepatitis. The pneumonia often results in ARDS (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome).

Generally speaking, Q fever is self-limited, meaning it has a cycle and will burn itself out in several months. A small percentage of those with the disease will go on to develop a chronic form which resembles endocarditis, an inflammation of the lining of the heart.