The rare infectious disease Q fever has been detected in the district of Lüneburg.
Several people are already infected.
The most important things summarized.
Kassel/Lüneburg – Several cases of Q fever infection have been reported in northern Germany, especially in the Lüneburg district.
This is a zoonosis that is transmitted from animals to humans.
It is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii.
In view of the several reported cases, the Lüneburg district wants to hold an information event about the rare Q fever on Wednesday, March 8th.
There, the head of the Lüneburg Health Office and experts from the Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety and the Bernhard Nocht Institute in Hamburg will provide information on this topic.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), around 50 percent of a Q fever infection is mostly without symptoms (asymptomatic infection), which is why it often goes undetected.
But how dangerous is the disease?
Rare Q fever is spreading in Germany: what you should know about the disease
The rare disease is not unknown to medical professionals.
Since 1995, the RKI has registered an increase in reported diseases.
However, the yearbooks of the RKI show that the number of reported cases fluctuates.
In 2020, 55 cases were reported.
"It's by no means the next pandemic," said general practitioner and medical journalist Dr.
Christoph Specht to
RTL
.
According to the doctor, the bacterium is “very environmentally resistant” and can survive in the dust for a long period of time.
"If people then breathe it in, they become infected," says Specht.
According to the expert, transmission from person to person would only happen in very rare cases.
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Symptoms of the rare Q fever are similar to those of a common cold (symbol image).
© Christin Klose/ dpa
Rare Q fever in Germany: which symptoms can occur
If the bacterium Coxiella burnetii is detected in the affected person when antibodies are detected, this must be reported.
However, it is believed that not all cases are reported as they are often not recognized as a Q fever infection.
In some cases, Q fever infection is accompanied by flu-like symptoms.
As
MSD Manual
informs, the common symptoms of Q fever are as follows:
High fever
Strong headache
Muscle aches
severe malaise
sweats
Some people can also get pneumonia.
In rather rare cases, it can cause a chronic disease.
These viruses and bacteria make us sick
These viruses and bacteria make us sick
Q fever in Germany: course of the disease and treatment options
An acute infection usually lasts about two weeks and heals on its own.
As
MSD Manual writes
, Q fever can be treated well with the antibiotic doxycycline.
When the disease becomes chronic, the most common result is endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart).
Risk groups include people with heart valve disease, a weakened immune system and pregnant women.
The latter are particularly at risk as miscarriages can occur in the first trimester.
In the early stages of contracting Q fever, it is difficult to clearly identify the infection as such, since the symptoms can also indicate other infections such as influenza or hepatitis.
If there is a suspicion, a blood test can be used to reliably detect antibodies.
Editor's note
The information given in this article does not replace a visit to a doctor. Only experts can make the right diagnosis and initiate appropriate therapy. The intake of medication or dietary supplements should be discussed with a doctor beforehand.
The information given in this article does not replace a visit to a doctor.
Only experts can make the right diagnosis and initiate appropriate therapy.
The intake of medication or dietary supplements should be discussed with a doctor beforehand.
Rare Q fever detected in Germany: preventive measures
There is no approved vaccine for humans in Germany - but there is for cattle, goats and sheep.
Since an infection can also be asymptomatic in animals, regular test examinations are therefore essential.
Contact with infected, non-vaccinated animals should be avoided at best.
You should also stay away from infected people for the time being and avoid contact.
(Vivian Werg)
List of rubrics: © Christin Klose/ dpa
