Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária (Sep 2022)

Q fever and coxiellosis in Brazil: an underestimated disease? A brief review

  • Eline Almeida Rodrigues de Souza,
  • Marcos Rogério André,
  • Marcelo Bahia Labruna,
  • Mauricio Claudio Horta

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1590/s1984-29612022051
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 31, no. 3

Abstract

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Abstract Q fever, caused by the γ-proteobacterium Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonosis of great importance and global impact. This agent has high transmissibility and can spread over long distances via wind, in which a small number of aerosolized particles are needed to infect susceptible hosts. The clinical diagnosis of Q fever is difficult owing to the variety of clinical signs shared with other diseases. In Brazil, studies related to C. burnetii are constantly being conducted, and this review aims to increase the number of approaches already studied, leading to the following question: is Q fever an unknown, neglected disease, or does it have a focal occurrence in certain areas (exotic/rare) in the country?

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