b'Is Factory Farming making us sick?Q FeverWhat is it? unpasteurised milk or via skin abrasions 161 .Q (Query) feverso-called because forSymptoms in animalsmany years its cause was unknownisSigns of the disease are uncommon, but a highly infectious zoonosis (a diseasepregnant cows, sheep and goats may that can be transmitted from animals tomiscarry.humans) caused by Coxiella burnetii. The bacterium can affect humans and otherSymptoms in peopleanimals, including sheep, cows and goats.Q fever usually causes strong, but The low bacterial load required, the easetreatable symptoms in humans, including of its dispersal and ability to incapacitatefever and muscle pains. However, some people, has led several countries to developpeople develop pneumonia, hepatitis or C. burnetti for use as a biological weapon 156 . meningitis, and for others it develops into a chronic illness with symptoms persisting for History more than six months 162 . Infection during Q fever was first recognised in abattoirpregnancy can have an adverse effect on workers in Brisbane, Australia in 1937 and isthe unborn child, including miscarriage 163 . now found globally 157. While human cases of Q fever are rare in the UK, there was anOnly 1-2 per cent of people with acute fever outbreak in 2006, which affected 138 peopledie of the disease, but as many as 65 per and was associated with a slaughterhousecent with chronic versions may die 164 .in Scotland 158 . Around 50-100 cases of Q fever are reported in the UK each yearTreatmentalthough, as many people develop onlyC. burnetii is resistant to heat, drying and mild or no symptoms at all, the truemany disinfectants, which means the incidence is unknown 159 . organism can survive in the environment Routes of transmission for many months 165 . It is difficult, therefore, Infection results from inhalation ofto prevent farmed animals from becoming contaminated particles in the air, andinfected and there are no formal control programmes or vaccines available in from contact with the milk, urine, faeces,Britain 166 .afterbirth and birth fluids of infected animals. As a result, human outbreaks areIn most people, Q fever requires no often associated with the farming birthingtreatment and symptoms will clear up on season 160 . It is also possible for peopletheir own. Antibiotics may be prescribed for to become infected through drinkingsome patients.25'