Q Fever in Greenland

Coxiella burnetii is the microbial agent responsible for causing Q fever in Greenland. This is zoonosis disease. Cattle, goats and sheep are reservoirs for the small bacterium yet many other animals are capable for housing it at well. The latent attribute or c. burnetti causes it so be shed during birth in animals, but in humans the symptoms are asymptomatic or just causing fever like symptoms but do not be fooled, this bacterium can also cause pneumonia or hepatitis.

A native of Greenland went to the hospital in December 2007 after having a fever for two months. As a child he had rheumatic fever and six years prior to this hospital visit, he had biological aortic and mitral valves implanted which put him at risk for Q fever endocarditis. January 2008 he was transferred to a different hospital. But he was enduring a low-grade fever, cardiac insufficiency with peripheral edema, hepatosplenomegaly, and 20% half-moon nephritis. His heart seemed fine though and his blood tests were negative for the bacterium. In may 2008, a surgery found massive endocarditis - and his biological valves were replaced with mechanical valves and his symptoms subsided.

After 30 days of incubation, the mans culture was positive after indirect immunofluorescent assay with C. burnetii phase II–specific antibodies..


Google Heath, "Q Fever"retrieved May 11, 2010 from https://health.google.com/health/ref/Q+fever

Koch A, Svendsen CB, Christensen JJ, Bundgaard H, Vindfeld L, Christiansen CB, et al. Q fever in Greenland. Emerg Infect Dis. 2010 Mar [May 11, 2010]. http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/16/3/511.htm