Q Fever in humans, domestic animals and wildlife
Anita Tolpinrud A , Anne-Lise Chaber B , Anke K. Wiethoelter A , Joanne M. Devlin A , John Stenos C , Simon M. Firestone A and Mark A. Stevenson A *A
B
C
Anita Tolpinrud is a wildlife veterinarian and researcher focusing on wildlife epidemiology, zoonotic disease reservoirs, One Health and conservation medicine. Her current research and recently completed PhD thesis explore the wildlife reservoirs and epidemiology of Q fever in Australia. |
Dr Anne-Lise Chaber is a One Health practitioner and academic. Her research focuses on the anthropogenic drivers of (re)emerging infectious zoonotic diseases, examining the impact of human activities on disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock–human interface. Her work integrates human, animal and environmental health to enhance global disease prevention, surveillance, management and response strategies. She holds a joint appointment at the School of Public Health and the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide, Australia. |
Anke Wiethoelter is an associate professor in veterinary epidemiology and One Health at the Melbourne Veterinary School with a research focus on infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock–human interface and determinants of health behaviour. She teaches epidemiology, evidence-based practice and One Health to both undergraduate and graduate students. |
Prof. Joanne Devlin researches the pathogenesis of a range of veterinary infectious diseases, and she has a particular interest in disease control. Her work includes diseases of domestic animals and wildlife, including birds, horses and marsupials. Her research includes fundamental research as well as more applied research, including vaccine development and testing. She was awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2008 and an ARC Future Fellowship in 2014. She is a current member of the ARC College of Experts and was appointed as the head of school for Melbourne Veterinary School in 2023. |
John Stenos is the senior scientist of the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory (ARRL). John completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the world leading laboratory for rickettsial diseases (Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA) in 1998. He has 29 years’ experience in the microbial culture of bacterial pathogens, especially rickettsia, and the development of new serological tests, particularly to detect vector-borne diseases. |
Simon M. Firestone is an associate professor in veterinary epidemiology and public health in the Melbourne Veterinary School. His research focuses on modelling infectious disease outbreaks, Bayesian diagnostic test validation, zoonoses surveillance, outbreak investigation and control, with projects on COVID-19, Q fever, foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, Mycoplasma bovis, foodborne disease, influenzas and arboviruses. |
Mark Stevenson is professor of veterinary epidemiology at The University of Melbourne where he leads a group working on applied epidemiological research with an emphasis on transboundary and endemic animal infectious diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, bovine tuberculosis, foot-and-mouth disease, Q fever and African swine fever. |
Abstract
Q Fever is a zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, which can infect a wide range of host species, including humans, domestic animals and wild animals. Domestic livestock are the primary reservoir for human infections and humans are usually considered incidental hosts, with human-to-human infection being exceedingly rare. Because livestock are reservoirs, at-risk groups for Q fever have been considered to be abattoir workers, veterinary personnel, farm workers, livestock handlers and wool shearers. However, there has been an increasing prevalence of human cases that have a history of direct or indirect exposure to wildlife, pointing towards likely wildlife reservoirs. Coxiellosis can be diagnosed using indirect and direct methods. Specific antibodies against C. burnetii are usually detectable within 1–3 weeks of infection in humans and experimental animal models. Anti-phase 2 immunoglobin M (IgM) and immunoglobin G (IgG) antibodies appear first in the early stages of acute infections, followed by a delayed and less pronounced phase 1 IgM and IgG antibody response. Interpretation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and serology test results are useful for estimating the date of onset of symptoms or clinical signs and the date of exposure. This allows a time window of exposure to be determined and may assist with identification of likely sources of infection.
Keywords: Coxiella burnetii, diagnosis, outbreak, PCR, Q fever, rickettsia, serology, zoonosis.
Anita Tolpinrud is a wildlife veterinarian and researcher focusing on wildlife epidemiology, zoonotic disease reservoirs, One Health and conservation medicine. Her current research and recently completed PhD thesis explore the wildlife reservoirs and epidemiology of Q fever in Australia. |
Dr Anne-Lise Chaber is a One Health practitioner and academic. Her research focuses on the anthropogenic drivers of (re)emerging infectious zoonotic diseases, examining the impact of human activities on disease transmission at the wildlife–livestock–human interface. Her work integrates human, animal and environmental health to enhance global disease prevention, surveillance, management and response strategies. She holds a joint appointment at the School of Public Health and the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at the University of Adelaide, Australia. |
Anke Wiethoelter is an associate professor in veterinary epidemiology and One Health at the Melbourne Veterinary School with a research focus on infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock–human interface and determinants of health behaviour. She teaches epidemiology, evidence-based practice and One Health to both undergraduate and graduate students. |
Prof. Joanne Devlin researches the pathogenesis of a range of veterinary infectious diseases, and she has a particular interest in disease control. Her work includes diseases of domestic animals and wildlife, including birds, horses and marsupials. Her research includes fundamental research as well as more applied research, including vaccine development and testing. She was awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2008 and an ARC Future Fellowship in 2014. She is a current member of the ARC College of Experts and was appointed as the head of school for Melbourne Veterinary School in 2023. |
John Stenos is the senior scientist of the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory (ARRL). John completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the world leading laboratory for rickettsial diseases (Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, USA) in 1998. He has 29 years’ experience in the microbial culture of bacterial pathogens, especially rickettsia, and the development of new serological tests, particularly to detect vector-borne diseases. |
Simon M. Firestone is an associate professor in veterinary epidemiology and public health in the Melbourne Veterinary School. His research focuses on modelling infectious disease outbreaks, Bayesian diagnostic test validation, zoonoses surveillance, outbreak investigation and control, with projects on COVID-19, Q fever, foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, Mycoplasma bovis, foodborne disease, influenzas and arboviruses. |
Mark Stevenson is professor of veterinary epidemiology at The University of Melbourne where he leads a group working on applied epidemiological research with an emphasis on transboundary and endemic animal infectious diseases such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, bovine tuberculosis, foot-and-mouth disease, Q fever and African swine fever. |
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