Q Fever
OVERVIEW
- infection caused by Coxiella burnetii
CLINICAL FEATURES
- animal encounters: sheep, goats, cattle, dogs, cats, birds, rodents and ticks
- occupations: farmers, laboratory workers, sheep and dairy workers and vets
- bacteria shed in birth products, faeces, milk and urine
- incubation 10-40 days
- SOB
- chest pain
- clay coloured stools
- systemic symptoms
- jaundice
- myalgia
- endocarditis
- flu-like symptoms
- hepatitis
- pneumonia -> ARDS
INVESTIGATIONS
- serological tests: IgM and IgG, complement fixation, ELISA
- blood cultures
- histology with Giemsa stain
MANAGEMENT
- doxycycline
- tigecycline
COMPLICATIONS
- cirrhosis
- encephalitis
- endocarditis
- pericarditis
- myocarditis
- pulmonary fibrosis
- meningitis
Critical Care
Compendium
Chris is an Intensivist and ECMO specialist at The Alfred ICU, where he is Deputy Director (Education). He is a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor at Monash University, the Lead for the Clinician Educator Incubator programme, and a CICM First Part Examiner.
He is an internationally recognised Clinician Educator with a passion for helping clinicians learn and for improving the clinical performance of individuals and collectives. He was one of the founders of the FOAM movement (Free Open-Access Medical education) has been recognised for his contributions to education with awards from ANZICS, ANZAHPE, and ACEM.
His one great achievement is being the father of three amazing children.
On Bluesky, he is @precordialthump.bsky.social and on the site that Elon has screwed up, he is @precordialthump.
| INTENSIVE | RAGE | Resuscitology | SMACC