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 22 December 2009
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WHO: Q fever reported in the Netherlands

22/12/2009

The World Health Organization says Q fever, which is characteristically an animal disease, has been spreading rapidly in Netherlands.

Q fever, or what the media is now calling "goat flu", is endemic in almost every country in the world.

Gregory Hartl, WHO spokesperson says it has become a public health issue in the Netherlands, having caused 6 human deaths.

"The Q fever is caused by a bacteria and the bacteria is quite tenacious, it survives quite a long time in the environment. So, those people who come into contact often with the animals do contract the disease from time to time. Normally it is treatable if it is recognized early."

Humans usually get Q fever by breathing in contaminated droplets released by infected animals like sheep, goats, cattle, and rodents. Human to human transmission is rare.
It can affect lungs, liver, heart and other parts of the body and usually takes 20 days for symptoms to occur.  The cure for Q fever is antibiotics.

Jocelyne Sambira, UN Radio.

(duration: 1'05")

Sound bites

Gregory Hartl Cut 1

"The Q fever is caused by a bacteria and the bacteria is quite tenacious, it survives quite a long time in the environment. So, those people who come into contact often with the animals do contract the disease from time to time. Normally it is treatable if it is recognized early."
Duration: 00:00:21

Gregory Hartl Cut 2

"Q fever is primarily an animal disease. It is enzoanautic meaning it's endemic zoanautically in almost every country of the world. This - So it's not a disease which has happened out of nowhere. It is above all an animal disease. It can affect cattle, sheep, etc."
Duration: 00:00:19

Gregory Hartl Cut 3

"What's happening in the Netherlands is that as you know there have been apparently more cases this year and certainly almost, let's say regular cases since 2007 with apparently six human deaths this year. So it is a public health issue in the Netherlands and that's why, you know, it has come to our attention and we're looking at it. But the Netherlands appears to be a relatively specific case although this country, this disease is endemic in almost every country of the world in all animals."
Duration: 00:00:34