Q Fever

Fact sheet - Health conditions directory

Q Fever is an illness caused by bacteria called Coxiella burnetii. The main carriers of the disease are farm animals such as cattle, sheep and goats. In rural areas, kangaroos can also be carriers. A wide range of other animals can be infected including camels, llamas, alpacas, rodents, cats, dogs, birds, wallabies and other marsupials. The bacteria can survive harsh conditions and remain in the environment for long periods of time, so hay, dust and other small particles may also carry the bacteria.

• Read Communicable Diseases Network Australia Guidelines

Notification

Pathology laboratories

• Notification criteria for pathology laboratories (PDF, 55kB)
• Notification procedure

Notification resources

• List of all Pathological, clinical and provisional diagnosis notifiable conditions
• List of Public Health Unit contacts
• Notifiable conditions report form for Queensland doctors/clinicians (PHA S70) or person in charge of a Hospital (PHA S71) (PDF, 77kB) - if faxing notification, follow up by phone.

Enhanced surveillance for public health units

• Case report form (PDF, 312kB)  - used by public health units to collect and manage more detailed information for enhanced case surveillance.

• Australian immunisation handbook - provides clinical guidelines for health professionals on the safest and most effective use of vaccines in their practice.
• Q fever fact sheet - information from Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.

• View communicable diseases data for notifiable conditions in Queensland.