A review of the epidemiology of Q fever disease in Iran

Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii, which infects lots of hosts, including animals and humans. It is a zoonosis that is considered a public health problem. Because of little epidemiological information about the status of this disease in various parts of Iran, this study was carried out to evaluate the epidemiology of Q fever among human cases and animals. Misdiagnosis with inadequate information and inattention about Q fever can lead to widespread epidemics in livestock and human communities. One of the most critical ways of transmitting Q fever in humans is respiratory aerosols or dust contaminated with animal parturition fluids. In some studies conducted in Iran, the incidence of human infection was 3.6 and 5.1%. In some studies performed in different parts of Iran, the prevalence of Coxiellosis was 33%, 27%, and 17% in goats, sheep, and cattle, respectively. Also, 27.08% of raw milk, 6.25% of yogurt, 4.35% of cheese, and 4.16% of doogh were reported positive. In conclusion, based on the evidence obtained, it seems that Q fever is currently present in Iran, and due to the lack of studies, this disease is not considered or mistaken for other febrile diseases such as influenza and brucellosis. Performing more serological studies in different parts of Iran is required to determine the epidemiological features of the disease.