infections
Q Fever
Symptoms of Q Fever
About 9 to 28 days after bacteria enter the body, symptoms begin suddenly. Some people have mild or no symptoms. Other people have flu-like symptoms. Symptoms of Q fever include fever, a severe headache, chills, extreme weakness, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and sweating, but no rash. The lungs are often affected, causing a dry (unproductive) cough, chest pain, and shortness of breath (caused by Overview of Pneumonia ). Symptoms may be severe in older adults and in people who have been weakened (debilitated) by a disorder. Occasionally, the liver is involved. People then have pain in the upper right part of the abdomen and sometimes Jaundice in Adults . Women who are infected during pregnancy have an increased risk of a miscarriage or delivery before the baby is due. A post-Q fever fatigue syndrome may occur in up to 20% of people with Q fever. People may have severe fatigue, muscle pains, headache, sensitivity to light, changes in mood, and difficulty sleeping. Chronic Q feveris a severe disease that occurs in fewer than 5% of infected people. It may develop from a few weeks to many years after the initial infection. The risk is greatest for the following: Pregnant women People whose immune system has been weakened by a disorder or medications People who have a heart valve disorder Chronic Q fever often involves the lining of the heart and heart valves (called Q fever Infective Endocarditis ). It sometimes involves the bones, artificial (prosthetic) joints, and the liver. Without treatment, only 1% of people with Q fever die. Untreated Q fever endocarditis is almost always fatal but with antibiotic treatment, mortality is under 5%. 