Q Fever and the US Military

To the Editor: Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the rickettsialike organism Coxiella burnetii. The disease has a worldwide distribution and can infect many different species, although cattle, sheep, and goats are the primary reservoirs (1). Transmission to humans usually occurs by inhaling dust or aerosols from infected animals, and approximately half of infected persons manifest clinical symptoms. In acute Q fever infection, the 3 main...