Infection with Coxiella burnetii (Q fever)

Article 8.22.1.

General provisions

Various animal species and humans can be affected by Q fever, but many of them, including wild and feral animals, are considered not to play a significant role in the epidemiology of the disease.

For the purposes of the Terrestrial Code, Q fever is defined as an infection of domestic and captive wild ruminants, dogs, and cats (hereafter 'susceptible animal') with Coxiella burnetii.

The following defines the occurrence of infection with C. burnetii:

1. C. burnetii has been isolated and identified as such in a sample from a susceptible animal; or

2. nucleic acid specific to C. burnetii has been detected in a sample from a susceptible animal showing clinical signs or pathological lesions consistent with infection with C. burnetii, or epidemiologically linked to a confirmed or suspected case; or

3. antibodies specific to C. burnetii, that are not the consequence of vaccination, have been detected in a sample from a susceptible animal showing clinical signs or pathological lesions consistent with infection with C. burnetii, or epidemiologically linked to a confirmed or suspected case.

Standards for diagnosis and vaccines, as well as information on the epidemiology, are described in the Terrestrial Manual.

nb: first adopted in 2024.