Q fever is a worldwide disease caused by a bacterium Coxiella burnetti. The
C. burnetii is found in goats, sheep, and cows. A higher risk of Q fever is observed in
farmers and veterinarians. Acute and chronic diseases are two forms of Q fever. The
symptoms of an acute form of Q fever are illness, headache, myalgia, chills, fatigue,
sweats, pneumonia, hepatitis, while endocarditis is the most lethal type of chronic form
of Q fever. Nucleic acid testing and serological methods are the methods used to
diagnose Q fever. In the case of acute disease, an antibiotic Doxycycline (100 mg) is
recommended twice a day for its treatment while for endocarditis a combination of
doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine or a combination of doxycycline plus a
fluoroquinolone (FQ) may be prescribed.
Keywords: Acute and Chronic, Coxiella burnetii, Doxycycline, Fluoroquinolones
and Endocarditis, Hydroxychloroquine.
