Q fever outbreak kept quiet
Villajoyosa outbreak of 'Query' fever in humans began in August
Outbreak of 'Query' fever in humans began in August
AT THE beginning of September, Villajoyosa social media groups were buzzing with news that two people in the town’s Gasparot neighbourhood had been diagnosed as suffering from Q fever.
The source of the Q fever bacteria was suspected to be a flock of goats kept on a rundown property off Avenida Alfaz del Pi, and that were regularly taken out to graze on vacant plots.
Agustin Lopez Mayor, president of El Pla Malladeta neighbours association, officially notified Villajoyosa council in writing on September 5 that two people living on Calle Benifató had been diagnosed with Q fever, and a third person was showing symptoms and was being treated for Q fever although his test results had not come back yet.
He requested the council implement the regional government’s protocol for Q fever outbreaks.
At the same time, Sr. Lopez Mayor, also informed all other official bodies he could think of, including the Guardia Civil and regional health authorities.
The Guardia Civil sent Seprona officers to inspect the premises and regional veterinary authorities took samples from the goats to be analysed.
Bizarrely, the town’s health councillor, Marta Selles, stated in a council meeting on September 19 that she had not received any notifications regarding Q fever cases in the municipality.
Despite a frenzy of activity on social media, the Seprona inspections, and reports in local newspapers, the council still did not officially admit there was Q fever in the municipality.
The council’s attitude angered the locals as Q fever is a notifiable disease, and bacteria can be spread by the wind over distances of five kilometres, and there are two schools in the area.
The families affected by the disease started to give interviews to the press and put pressure on the council to implement the official protocol for this notifiable disease, but it wasn’t until October 3, when the council received official notification from the regional health authority informing them of the Q fever protocol to be carried out. They then issued a press release on October 10 stating that the first stage of cleaning and disinfection would begin on October 11 and would be carried out by a specialist company, at the premises where the goats were kept and surrounding areas.
Steps were taken to rid the area of ticks and rats, which could pick up and spread the bacteria. Surrounding plots were also fumigated, and cleared of weeds. During the work, the area was cordoned off with police tape to avoid people and pets walking in the area and picking up bacterial spores.
On this same day, a camera team from Antena 3’s ‘Espejo público’ were on the scene interviewing sufferers of the disease, with the news reporter donning a protective mask. Some of the people interviewed said that the goats had been wandering over other areas, and not just those that had been cordoned off and fumigated.
Five confirmed cases
Five people in total have been confirmed as having the disease, the youngest being only 3 years old, she started to show symptoms during the first two weeks of September, but only received the test results confirming Q fever in the first week of October.
Her parents told the press that she first only had a slight fever, but then developed muscle pain in her arms and legs, which her paediatrician diagnosed as growing pains.
It was only when she started to vomit and have headaches, that her doctor sent her to the Marina Baixa hospital, were she was subject to numerous tests to rule out different diseases.
Due to the previous four cases of Q fever, as a precaution, she was put on antibiotics straight away while the doctors awaited the test results for Q fever, and it was on Monday October 7 that her parents received a call from the health authority confirming she indeed had Q fever.
A 35-year-old man also has all the symptoms and is awaiting confirmation he has the disease, as well as presenting the usual Q fever symptoms, his liver and gall bladder are also affected and he had to spend two days in hospital and is now on strict home rest.
Another 3-year-old boy is also in observation suffering from the same symptoms, and is being treated with antibiotics until his test results come back.
Both the man and the 3-yearold live in the same 24-apartment block, along with four other people who have been confirmed as suffering from Q fever.
Three of them have gone to live elsewhere temporarily to avoid reinfection or infecting other members of their family although Q fever is not passed from person to person.
All say that they have not been contacted by authorities to tell them what preventative measures they need to take, or to give them the results of tests carried out on the goats.
They are now demanding that the council confirm the source of the outbreak officially, as they have heard from unofficial sources that two of the goats tested positive for the Coxiella burnetii bacteria that causes the infection.
No one seems to know where the goats are now, although the owner when interviewed on TV, just said that ‘vets have taken them’.
A public protest to highlight the dangers of the outbreak has now been called for Wednesday October 30 at 19.00, starting from the Pharmacy on calle Colon, and marching along Avda. Pais Valencia to the Guardia Civil station.
What exactly is Q fever?
Q fever is an infection caused by the Coxiella burnetii bacteria. The name ‘Q’ comes from ‘query’ fever, the name of the disease until its true cause was discovered in the 1930s.
It is usually a mild disease with some people experiencing no symptoms at all while others can suffer a more deadly form of Q fever that can damage the heart, liver, brain and lungs.
Symptoms are flu-like, appearing 3 to 30 days after infection and include high fever (up to 41C), severe headaches, fatigue, chills, cough, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and sensitivity to light.
It is transmitted to humans by animals, most commonly sheep, goats and cattle. These animals transmit the bacteria through their urine, faeces, milk and birthing products — such as the placenta and amniotic fluid. When these substances dry, the bacteria in them become part of the barnyard dust that floats in the air.
Mild cases clear up quickly with antibiotic treatment, but if Q fever recurs, antibiotics have to be taken for at least 18 months.