Laboratory of Rickettsiae, Chlamydiae and Enzotic Spirochetes, National Institute of Public Health - National Institute of Hygiene, Warsaw, Poland.
Pol J Microbiol. 2012;61(2):81-93.
Q fever is an infectious zoonotic disease characterized by sudden fever, headache, and atypical pneumonia, caused by Coxiella burneti--an obligatory intracellular parasite. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the genes sequences, the classification was changed and C. burnetii species was included to the gamma subgroup of the proteobacteria, Legionellales order and Coxiellaceae family. This analysis showed more than 99% sequence similarity of 16SrRNA gene among the strains isolated in different regions of the world. Q fever is a widespread in the world zoonosis. Its main reservoir in the rural environment are farm animals: cows, sheep, goats, and urban pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits. In acute infection these bacteria are detected in various internal organs such as lungs, liver, spleen, and in excretion in urine, faeces and milk. During childbirth, they occur in large number in the amniotic fluid and placenta. Recently, it has been found that free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellani may also be a reservoir of the pathogen. The intra-amoebal location of C. burnetii cells was observed.
Q 热是一种传染性的人畜共患病，其特征是突发高热、头痛和非典型性肺炎，由柯克斯体引起，这是一种专性细胞内寄生虫。根据基因序列的系统发育分析，该分类发生了变化，将 C. burnetii 种归入变形菌门的γ亚群、军团菌目和柯克斯体科。该分析表明，在世界不同地区分离的菌株中 16SrRNA 基因的序列相似度超过 99%。Q 热是一种广泛存在于世界各地的人畜共患病。其在农村环境中的主要宿主是农场动物：牛、羊、山羊，以及城市宠物如狗、猫、兔子。在急性感染中，这些细菌存在于肺部、肝脏、脾脏等各种内脏器官中，并在尿液、粪便和牛奶中排泄。在分娩期间，它们大量存在于羊水和胎盘。最近，发现自由生活的变形虫棘阿米巴原虫可能也是病原体的储存库。已经观察到柯克斯体细胞在变形虫内的位置。
