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Q fever

(Science: infectious disease) An acute (abrupt-onset), self-limited febrile illness first reported in 1935 in queensland, australia. The Q is said not to be for queensland, but for query since the cause of the disease was long a query (question mark).

It is caused by the bacterium coxiella burnetii, a rickettsia which mainly afflicts sheep and cattle but can be transmitted to humans who have contact with infected animals.

symptoms resemble those of influenza and include sudden onset of fever, headache, malaise, and pneumonia (interstitial pneumonitis) but no rash.