THE Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) on Friday announced the first case of Q fever in the country.
The illness, which primarily affects cattle, sheep and goats, can be contracted by humans through inhalation of contaminated dust.
The disease in humans causes chills, fever and muscle pain and can, if untreated, develop into liver and heart complications.
The goats that tested positive for the disease are mostly in Santa Cruz, Marinduque, said Dr. Christian Daquigan, officer-in-charge of the BAI’s National Veterinary Quarantine Services Division.
He said there was no confirmed human case yet locally.
The Department of Agriculture said it would temporarily ban the importation of goats from the US.
The situation is under control, it added.
Q fever is a disease caused by the bacterial pathogen Coxiella burnetii, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“This hardy organism can easily spread long distances in the wind, and only a few infectious aerosolized particles are necessary to cause serious illness,” the NIH said.
“Presentations of Q fever disease can be wide-ranging, allowing it to masquerade as other illnesses and highlight the importance of laboratory testing for diagnosis and treatment,” it added.
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