Delayed Diagnosis of Chronic Q Fever and Cardiac Valve Surgery

Abstract

Untreated chronic Q fever causes a high number of complications and deaths. We present cases of chronic Q fever that were not diagnosed until after the patients underwent cardiac valve surgery. In epidemic areas, Q fever screening of valve surgery patients secures early initiation of treatment and can prevent illness and death.

Keywords

• Q fever
• chronic Q fever
• Q fever endocarditis
• endocarditis
• valvulopathy
• Coxiella burnetii