Raising awareness of the disease and ensuring access to vaccination for all at risk should be priorities
Australia has one of the highest Q fever notification rates in the world. The article on seroprevalence data in this issue of the MJA1 reinforces the fact that Q fever is an infection of public health significance, and suggests that infections are more common than is recognised.
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- 1. Gidding HF, Faddy HM, Durrheim DN, et al. Seroprevalence of Q fever among metropolitan and non‐metropolitan blood donors in New South Wales and Queensland, 2014–2015. Med J Aust 2019; 210: 309–315.
- 2. Kampschreur LM, Dekker S, Hagenaars JC, et al. Identification of risk factors for chronic Q fever, the Netherlands. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18: 563–570.
- 3. van Loenhout JA, Hautvast JL, Vercoulen JH, et al. Q‐fever patients suffer from impaired health status long after the acute phase of the illness: results from a 24‐month cohort study. J Infect 2015; 70: 237–246.
- 4. Schneeberger PM, Hermans MH, van Hannen EJ, et al. Real‐time PCR with serum samples is indispensable for early diagnosis of acute Q fever. Clin Vaccine Immunol 2010; 17: 286–290.
- 5. Sundac L, Cherian S, Robson J. Utility of Q fever PCR in the diagnostic algorithm for acute Q fever [unpublished presentation]. Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases annual scientific meeting, Gold Coast (Queensland), 10–12 May 2018. https://www.asid.net.au/documents/item/1567 (viewed Jan 2019).
- 6. Francis JR, Robson J, Wong D, et al. Chronic recurrent multifocal Q fever osteomyelitis in children: an emerging clinical challenge. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2016; 35: 972–976.
- 7. Malo JA, Colbran C, Young M, et al. An outbreak of Q fever associated with parturient cat exposure at an animal refuge and veterinary clinic in southeast Queensland. Aust N Z J Public Health 2018; 42: 451–455.
- 8. Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. Q fever [updated 6 June 2018]. In: Australian immunisation handbook. Canberra: Australian Department of Health, 2018. https://immunisationhandbook.health.gov.au/vaccine-preventable-diseases/q-fever (viewed Jan 2019).
- 9. Schoffelen T, Joosten LA, Herremans T, et al. Specific interferon γ detection for the diagnosis of previous Q fever. Clin Infect Dis 2013; 56: 1742–1751.
- 10. Marmion B. Q fever: the long journey to control by vaccination. Med J Aust 2007; 186: 164–166. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2007/186/4/q-fever-long-journey-control-vaccination
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