sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/q-fever/DS00960/DSECTION=symptoms
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
The signs and symptoms for Q fever vary widely. People with acute Q fever may have no symptoms at all, while chronic Q fever typically affects the heart and other major organs.
Acute Q fever
More than half the people infected with acute Q fever never show symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you'll notice them about two to three weeks after exposure to the bacteria. The infection may mimic the flu, causing these signs and symptoms:
If you have had Q fever for more than six months, it's considered chronic. Chronic Q fever can develop anytime between one and 20 years after you first had acute Q fever, even if you didn't show symptoms initially.
The symptoms of chronic Q fever vary depending on how it manifests itself. Different ways chronic Q fever can affect you include:
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
The signs and symptoms for Q fever vary widely. People with acute Q fever may have no symptoms at all, while chronic Q fever typically affects the heart and other major organs.
Acute Q fever
More than half the people infected with acute Q fever never show symptoms. If you do have symptoms, you'll notice them about two to three weeks after exposure to the bacteria. The infection may mimic the flu, causing these signs and symptoms:
- High fever (104 degrees Fahrenheit, or 40 degrees Celsius)
- Severe headache
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Chills
- Sweats
- Cough, which may be dry or productive
- Chestpain
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Purplish rash
- Severe muscle pain
If you have had Q fever for more than six months, it's considered chronic. Chronic Q fever can develop anytime between one and 20 years after you first had acute Q fever, even if you didn't show symptoms initially.
The symptoms of chronic Q fever vary depending on how it manifests itself. Different ways chronic Q fever can affect you include:
- Q fever endocarditis. With endocarditis, the heart's inner lining is inflamed, which can lead to damage of the heart's valves. Signs and symptoms include prolonged fever, night sweats, chills, fatigue and shortness of breath.
- Blood vessel infections. When the bacteria that cause Q fever infect your blood vessels, you may have a fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.
- Other types of chronic Q fever. Rarely, chronic Q fever can manifest itself as a bone infection (osteomyelitis), chronic lung infection or chronic fatigue, each with its own set of symptoms.