Q fever natural history, complications, and prognosis

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Younes M.B.B.CH [2]

Overview

Acute Q fever has a good prognosis even without treatment. Chronic Q fever has a less favorable prognosis.

Natural history

If left untreated, most patients will recover within several months.^[1]

If left untreated, chronic Q fever is usually deadly. However, with appropriate treatment, the case fatality rate is around 10%.^[1]

Complications

Prognosis

Acute Q fever is responsive to treatment and even without treatment, mortality rate is 1-2%.

Chronic Q fever is more serious, with a case fatality rate of 10% after treatment.^[2]

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Ishikawa H, Maeda H, Takamatsu H, Saito Y (1979). “Systemic hyalinosis (juvenile hyaline fibromatosis). Ultrastructure of the hyaline with particular reference to the cross-banded structure”. Arch. Dermatol. Res. 265 (2): 195–206. PMID 88923.
↑ 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.

Overview