Q fever: etiology, diagnosis, and treatment

Any disease or infection that can spread spontaneously from animals to humans or humans to animals is called zoonosis. The origin of more than 60% of human infections is zoonotic diseases. It covers many pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and parasites. The emergence, distribution, and patterns of zoonoses are significantly influenced by several factors, including climate change, animal movement, agent-related factors, natural factors, and human impacts. Q fever has been neglected as a zoonotic disease in many developing countries. The causative agent of this disease is the bacterium Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii), which is resistant to environmental factors such as heat and many disinfectant compounds, resulting in long-term risk of disease for humans and animals. Since the infection is usually asymptomatic, it is mainly undiagnosed in animals until adverse pregnancy outcomes occur in a herd. In humans, infection leads to severe endocarditis and vascular infection in chronic cases. Despite the importance of this disease, limited information is available about the molecular epidemiology and evolution of this pathogen. Genomic studies can also help to investigate the prevalence of this disease. Likewise, the pathogenesis of C. burnetii should be examined by molecular studies. Programs of awareness and ensuring the pasteurization of dairy products before human consumption will help prevent many zoonotic diseases, including Q fever.