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GEELONG council workers found with Q fever antibodies in their system may find it is a blessing in disguise, disease experts say.

The Health Department says there were no recorded cases of the animal-borne disease in Geelong this year.

However, recent skin-prick testing showed dozens of City of Greater Geelong workers once had it, and therefore would not need vaccinations.

The Australian Services Union says about 60 workers took the preliminary tests, with more than 50 recording positive results for the antibodies.

It is double the number known to council, which says it is aware of 42 workers tested for 25 positives.

Given the micro-organism responsible for Q fever is typically carried by goats, sheep and cattle, CoGG’s has embarked on a testing regimen focused on workers at the Geelong Saleyards and others directly or indirectly in contact with animals at work.

“The city is working through a program of testing and, if required, vaccination for staff identified as most likely to be exposed to Q fever,” CoGG acting city services director Peter Godfrey said.

“Three permanent staff working at the Geelong Saleyards have also all been vaccinated, or are immune.”

But the union has questioned if many of the previous infections would have been avoided if CoGG had offered tests and vaccinations sooner.

Those concerns are likely to be aired at a meeting between city officials, the union and WorkSafe today.

Geelong-based clinical microbiologist Owen Harris said it was impossible to know when or where people contracted Q fever.

“It’s not an outbreak of Q fever because there is no evidence any of these people are sick, and there is no blood test evidence,” Dr Harris said.

He said vaccination programs had been offered to abattoir workers, but had only been offered outside that industry in recent years.

He and Geelong infectious diseases expert Eugene Athan said workers found to have the antibodies in their system had already overcome Q fever, and were now immune.

“About half the population, if they get exposed, they have no symptoms, they develop immunity on their own,” Professor Athan said.

He said the disease was not contagious from person to person, and was easily treated and diagnosed.

He said those who contracted Q fever often did not realise because the symptoms were usually “flu-like”.

With antibiotics, patients usually made a full recovery within a week, Prof Athan said.

While a union source said some workers were worried about long-term effects, Prof Athan dispelled such notions. “It doesn’t relapse,” he said. People with concerns are advised to visit their GP.