| Description |
Query (Q) fever (or Coxiellosis) is a zoonosis that occurs in most countries. Humans generally acquire infection through air-borne transmission from animal reservoirs, especially from domestic ruminants, but other domestic and wildlife animals (pets, rabbits, birds, etc.) can be involved. The causal agent is the obligate intracellular bacterium, Coxiella burnetii, which displays different morphological forms in its developmental cycle. Some forms can survive extracellularly and even accumulate in the environment. |