An infectious disease due to the bacterium Coxiella burnetii whose symptoms include
fever, headache, malaise, and pneumonia (interstitial pneumonitis), but not rash. The
Q stands for query because the cause of the disease was long a question mark. Q
fever is a zoonotic disease and is contracted from cattle, sheep, and goats. Chronic Q
fever (infection that persists for more than 6 months) may develop years after the initial
infection and can lead to serious complications including endocarditis. Transplant