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Q Fever: Title and subTitle BreakA Common Treatable Cause of Endemic Nonbacterial Pneumonia FREE

Daniel M. Musher, MD
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JAMA. 1968;204(10):863-866. doi:10.1001/jama.1968.03140230021005
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In an area known for endemic Q fever, eight of 52 cases of nonbacterial pneumonia were proven to be caused by infection with Coxiella burnettii. Intimate contact with a possible source of infection was excluded in all patients and dust-borne transmission of the rickettsial organism from animal to man was implicated. Symptoms, physical findings, and laboratory and roentgenographic data were similar to those previously described in Q fever and were indistinguishable from those found in viral or mycoplasmal pneumonia. All patients treated with tetracycline showed a dramatic response within 24 hours. Q fever must be considered in the diagnosis whenever nonbacterial pneumonia occurs in late summer or early fall in an area where Q fever is endemic. Early diagnosis and treatment will significantly reduce morbidity.

REFERENCES

Ormsbee, R.A.: " Q Fever Rickettsia ," in Horsfall, F.L., and Tamm, I. (eds.): Viral and Rickettsial Infections in Man , ed 4, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1965;, pp 1144-1160.
Irons, J.V., et al:  Outbreak of Q Fever in the United States , Public Health Rep 61:784-785 ( (May 31) ) 1946;.
Clark, W.H., et al:  Q Fever in California: VI. Description of an Epidemic Occurring at Davis, California, in 1948 , Amer J Hyg 54:15-24 ( (July) ) 1951;.
Sigel, M.M., et al:  Q Fever in a Wool and Hair Processing Plant , Amer J Public Health 40:524-532 ( (May) ) 1950;.
Irons, J.V.; Eads, R.B.; and Peavy, J.E.:  Q Fever in Texas , Texas Rep Biol Med 15:896-903 ( (Winter) ) 1957;.
Huebner, R.J., et al:  Q Fever Studies in Southern California: I. Recovery of Rickettsia burnettii From Raw Milk , Public Health Rep 63:214-222 ( (Feb 13) ) 1948;.
Irons, J.V.; Murphy, J.N.; and Wolfe, D.M.:  Q Fever in the United States , JAMA 133:819-820 ( (March 22) ) 1947;.
Clark, W.H., et al:  Q Fever in California: Clinical Features in 180 Cases , Arch Intern Med 88:155-157 ( (Aug) ) 1951;.
Snodgrass, P.J.:  Endemic Q Fever in South Texas , US Armed Forces Med J 7:1457-1464 ( (Oct) ) 1956;.
Van der Venn, J., and Heyen, C.F.A.:  Complement Fixation With Tissue Constituents in Adenovirus Pneumonias , Amer J Epidem 84:396-404 ( (Feb) ) 1966;.
Irons, J.V., et al:  Q Fever Survey in Southwest Texas , Amer J Public Health 39:485-491 ( (April) ) 1949;.
DeLay, P.D.; Lennette, E.H.; and DeOme, K.:  Q Fever in California: Recovery of Coxiella burnettii From Naturally Infected Air-Borne Dust , J Immun 65:211-220 ( (Aug) ) 1950;.
Tiggertt, W.D.; Benenson, A.S.; and Gochenout, W.D.:  Airborne Q Fever , Bact Rev 25:285-293 ( (Sept) ) 1961;.
Tiggertt, W.D., and Benenson, A.S.:  Studies on Q Fever in Man , Trans Assoc Amer Physicians 69:98-103, 1956;.
George, R.B., et al:  Mycoplasma and Adenovirus Pneumonias: Comparison With Other Atypical Pneumonias in a Military Population , Ann Intern Med 65:931-942 ( (Nov) ) 1966;.

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Ormsbee, R.A.: " Q Fever Rickettsia ," in Horsfall, F.L., and Tamm, I. (eds.): Viral and Rickettsial Infections in Man , ed 4, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Co., 1965;, pp 1144-1160.
Irons, J.V., et al:  Outbreak of Q Fever in the United States , Public Health Rep 61:784-785 ( (May 31) ) 1946;.
Clark, W.H., et al:  Q Fever in California: VI. Description of an Epidemic Occurring at Davis, California, in 1948 , Amer J Hyg 54:15-24 ( (July) ) 1951;.
Sigel, M.M., et al:  Q Fever in a Wool and Hair Processing Plant , Amer J Public Health 40:524-532 ( (May) ) 1950;.
Irons, J.V.; Eads, R.B.; and Peavy, J.E.:  Q Fever in Texas , Texas Rep Biol Med 15:896-903 ( (Winter) ) 1957;.
Huebner, R.J., et al:  Q Fever Studies in Southern California: I. Recovery of Rickettsia burnettii From Raw Milk , Public Health Rep 63:214-222 ( (Feb 13) ) 1948;.
Irons, J.V.; Murphy, J.N.; and Wolfe, D.M.:  Q Fever in the United States , JAMA 133:819-820 ( (March 22) ) 1947;.
Clark, W.H., et al:  Q Fever in California: Clinical Features in 180 Cases , Arch Intern Med 88:155-157 ( (Aug) ) 1951;.
Snodgrass, P.J.:  Endemic Q Fever in South Texas , US Armed Forces Med J 7:1457-1464 ( (Oct) ) 1956;.
Van der Venn, J., and Heyen, C.F.A.:  Complement Fixation With Tissue Constituents in Adenovirus Pneumonias , Amer J Epidem 84:396-404 ( (Feb) ) 1966;.
Irons, J.V., et al:  Q Fever Survey in Southwest Texas , Amer J Public Health 39:485-491 ( (April) ) 1949;.
DeLay, P.D.; Lennette, E.H.; and DeOme, K.:  Q Fever in California: Recovery of Coxiella burnettii From Naturally Infected Air-Borne Dust , J Immun 65:211-220 ( (Aug) ) 1950;.
Tiggertt, W.D.; Benenson, A.S.; and Gochenout, W.D.:  Airborne Q Fever , Bact Rev 25:285-293 ( (Sept) ) 1961;.
Tiggertt, W.D., and Benenson, A.S.:  Studies on Q Fever in Man , Trans Assoc Amer Physicians 69:98-103, 1956;.
George, R.B., et al:  Mycoplasma and Adenovirus Pneumonias: Comparison With Other Atypical Pneumonias in a Military Population , Ann Intern Med 65:931-942 ( (Nov) ) 1966;.
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