An article regarding Q Fever which most people are apparently unaware of, let alone vaccinated against.
Obviously most important for persons who live or work in proximity of livestock.
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Important for everyone who lives or works in a regional or rural environment. Those who work very directly with livestock such as Vets, farmers assisting with birthing of stock, etc or even wildlife carers having closer contact have a greater likelihood of being infected.
It’s just not those workers listed. The study indicated 1in 36 Sydney urban residents had evidence of prior infection. This compared with 1 in 20 Qld rural or regional residents in the sample testing positive.
While there is a vaccine available in Australia, it is a relatively new vaccine (approx 1990 first available). It’s not available in the USA according to one report. The estimate of Australians at higher risk who have been vaccinated is only 10%. The vaccination procedure is not simple and can be expensive. Currently vaccination is only possible if you have never had the infection.
For those who live in a rural environment, any simple yard activity that raises dust such as mowing or brush cutting or that blow the mower down with compressed air trick, may put individuals at risk. The bacteria responsible is airborn and carried by a wide range of livestock and animals that can include kangaroos and wallabies, and some varieties of ticks.
Hence everyone in these areas has some degree of exposure and risk. To diagnose correctly it requires a blood test, and may otherwise be readily dismissed as a bad dose of the flu.
The greatest risk from Q-fever comes when the chronic form develops in a percentage of it’s victims.
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Another warning regarding Q fever, this time in Cairns, not out in the West.
And an article regarding Q Fever.
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