Australia: Six local Q fever cases found

[Ronan Kelly]

Six local Q fever victims found
Belinda Scott | 30th March 2011

REPORTS of the little known Q fever on the Coffs Coast are causing concern to residents and health authorities.

There are unconfirmed reports of up to six cases presenting at the Coffs Harbour Health Campus during the past six weeks.

Q Fever is a disease contracted by infection from bacteria found typically in the urine, faeces or milk from cattle and sheep.

The director of public health for the North Coast, Paul Corben, said there was a vaccine available for those working with animals, like vets and abattoir workers, but it was a two-step process which involved a skin test and blood sample before the doctor made a decision, because if the person showed evidence of prior immunity, the vaccine caused ?a nasty local reaction?.

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http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.a...-coffs-coast-q-fever-victims-found-infection/

 

[Shiloh]

Re: Australia: Six local Q fever cases found

Source: http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/story/2011/04/04/q-fever-reports-increase-coffs-coast/

Q fever reports increase
Belinda Scott | 4th April 2011

REPORTS of cases of Q fever on the Coffs Coast last week have brought a number of responses from readers.

It has since been confirmed that the recent death of one local man, who had Q fever, was not caused by the bacteria but by a rare blood disorder which he had contracted.

Another Coffs Harbour reader who contracted Q fever in 2002 said he had been told by his GP, who had immediately and correctly identified his disease, that he caught the bacteria after being bitten by a so-called grass tick ? an immature paralysis tick...