Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Q fever epidemiology and demographics
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Q fever is more prevalent in the elderly and in males. It has been a notifiable disease in the US since 1999. Q fever is underreported, thus scientists cannot reliably assess its incidence.[1]
Epidemiology and Demographics
Epidemiology and Demographics
Age
- Q fever is slightly more prevalent in elderly people; however, it is often seen in various age groups.
- Q fever is occasionally seen in children, especially those who live on a farm.
- In infected children younger than 3 years old, Q fever usually presents as pneumonia.[2]
Gender
- Due to differing employment rates in typical professions that predispose people to contracting Q fever, men are more often affected than women.[3]
Developed Countries
- In 1999, Q fever became a notifiable disease in the United States but reporting is not required in many other countries.
- In Europe, Q fever often presents as hepatitis rather than pneumonia as it does in the United States.[1]
Developing Countries
- C. burnetii is found everywhere except in Antarctica and New Zealand.
- Q fever infections are often subclinical.
References
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Delsing CE, Kullberg BJ (2008). “Q fever in the Netherlands: a concise overview and implications of the largest ongoing outbreak”. Neth J Med. 66 (9): 365–7. PMID 18931396.
- ↑ Hartzell JD, Wood-Morris RN, Martinez LJ, Trotta RF (2008). “Q fever: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment”. Mayo Clin. Proc. 83 (5): 574–9. doi:10.4065/83.5.574. PMID 18452690.
- ↑ Maurin M, Raoult D (1999). “Q fever”. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 12 (4): 518–53. PMC 88923. PMID 10515901.
Editor-In-Chief:
C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Younes M.B.B.CH [2]