What are the modes of transmission of Q fever?
The wild reservoir (where organisms live naturally before infecting humans) of Q fever is ticks. In the infected female mammal, C. burnetii generally localizes itself to the uterus and the mammary glands (breasts) and infection is reactivated during pregnancy of the infected mammal. High concentrations of C. burnetii are found in the placenta and at the time of parturition (delivery), C. burnetii are released into the air, and human infection follows inhalation of aerosolized organisms by a susceptible human host. Soil is also contaminated during delivery, and C. burnetii aerosols can be generated even months later during windstorms. There are reports that individuals up to 18 km from the source have been infected.
