Q-Fever in goats

[Nubians]

This is something I am just starting to research.
Does anyone else know something about it? How do you prevent it? Can you treat it? If the goats have it-what do you do with them? Is it a disease we need to be concerned about? From what I found it is a fairly common disease.
Any input is appreciated.
Thanks!

[mygoat]

Q-fever is not really a very common disease. It is caused by Coxiella burnetti. It is an abortive disease in ruminants that causes disease in humans and is HIGHLY infectious -unlike most illnesses which require tons of the causative agent, it takes only a handful or so to create an infection - possibly as few as ONE organism. It also aerosolizes easily as dried birthing fluids are kicked up in farm dust.

http://www.cdc.gov/qfever/

http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/gene...20fever&alt=sh

There are tests available, I have never tested.

[Frosted Mini's]

It is mostly a problem for pregnant women, as it can cause abortion in both animals and humans. One herd here in Idaho had it who was selling raw milk. When the state found out, they had just been to a show (oops) and so everyone who went to that show was warned. The herd was quarantined for a time-no animals in or out and no milk sales. That can be hard if you are trying to make a living! It is mostly spread through birth/abortion fluids. Which is why it is recommended to separate an animal if they are aborting.

[mygoat]

While Q fever does cause abortions in humans, it can make males and females both quite sick with symptoms other than abortion. There are acute and chronic forms, as well. CDC link details those in the link above.

[CJBegins]

The most ill patient (with infection) that I have ever taken care of was a guy that worked in a sale barn. He had Q fever. He could go from normal temp to 105 in 15 minutes. He was sick for a very long time.

[copperpennykids]

Q Fever is nasty. Some place in the Netherlands had it and they killed 30,000 goats in an attempt to eradicate it.

A Boer herd in mid-Washington had a few years back - brought in with goats that they purchased in Texas. goats that they sold had it (a year or so later) and the folks that bought the goats became very ill (shortly after assisting at the birth).

If a herd had no exposure you are pretty safe. Those herds that freely exchange animals - well, you just want to verify all of the herds status. Big thing is that it seems to primarily be spread through birthing fluids, so if you are at a show and no goats kid (or have not recently kidded) you are probably pretty safe.

We don't worry too much - practice good bio-security etc. Of course, we have shipped both Saanens and Boers to the Philippines and one of the tests that they run is for Q Fever - for us it was several years of "random testing" for all kinds of stuff - and all of our goats were clean for everything.

Still, pays to be cautious.