The Dutch term Q fever is derived from the English Query fever, loosely translated: fever with a question mark. The term dates back to 1937, when slaughterhouse workers in the Australian city of Brisbane eand mysterious fevereightThe disease broke out. Researchers knew initially not what the cause was. After intensive research, the microbiologists discovered Macfarlane Burnet and Herald Cox dthe bacterium that caused the disease. That bacterium has since been named Coxiella burnetii.1M. Persoon. General Practice and Science 2010;53, pp. 281–285.
How do you get infected?
Q fever is a so-called zoonosis: A disease that spreads from animals to humans. In the Netherlands, goats and sheep are the main sources of infection for humans. The bacterium spreads through the air. People become infected by inhalinging in the vicinity of infected animals.
Infected animals shed the bacteria through the placenta and amniotic fluid, as well as through urine, feces, and breast milk. The bacterium can survive for months to years in dried-out material and is resistant to heat and a lot disinfectants. Most infections occur between February and May, when goats and sheep give birth. Q fever is extremely contagious, a small amount bacteria is enough to make you sick.
What are the symptoms?
After infection can two to three weeks last before symptoms appear. This happens in about 40% of those who are infected; the rest don't notice anything. IAt first glance seem to be the symptoms on the one from a bad case of the flu: high fever, headache, joint pain, and severe fatigue. Many People recover afterward.
In the case of a some people steps ccomplications including, among others pneumonia, liver inflammation (hepatitis) and meningitis. Older adults, pregnant women, and people People with a weakened immune system or a heart valve defect are at greater risk risk of severe or fatal disease. The mortality rate from acute Q fever ranges from 1 to 2%.
At approximately 2% of the patients remains the bacteria in the body present. We call this chronic Q fever. The bacterium can in in that case cause life-threatening infections of the heart valves, vascular prostheses and joint replacements. Mortalitychance The mortality rate for chronic Q fever is high: according to the Dutch database maintained since the outbreak from 2007 to 2010, 29% of patients with chronic Q-fever.2People Are Still Dying from Chronic Q Fever – UMC Utrecht
Q Fever Fatigue Syndrome
A distinct and common complication is Q fever fatigue syndrome, abbreviated as QFS. Approximately one in five people who have an acute Q fever infectioneft After going through this, the person develops this syndrome.
At QVS No live bacteria can be detected anymore, but the immune system remains overactive. The symptoms are severe: extreme fatigue, muscle pain, joint pain, difficulty concentrating and memory problems, sleep disturbances, headaches, blurred vision, night sweats, shortness ofanxiety, irritability, depressive symptoms, and reducedthe Exercise tolerance. Daily life, work, and social interactions come under severe strain.
QVS shares many similarities with other conditions and infections, such as long COVID, Lyme disease, and Pfeiffer's disease. Or complete recoveryIt is not yet known whether this is possible.
The Dutch Outbreak
The largest Q fever outbreak ever occurred in the Netherlands between 2007 and 2010. Officially, more than 4,000 contaminationcases confirmed through laboratory testing. Oresearchers vaThe RIVM estimates that the actual number of infections is between 40,000 and 50,000 was lying.3A Look Back at the 2007–2010 Q Fever Epidemic | RIVM Many of these people are still feeling the effects to this day.
Q Fever Now
The Dutch Q fever epidemic has been since 2010 is effectively over, but not the consequences of the epidemic. A diagnosis of QVS, or chronic Q fever, is for manyn not during the epidemic, but afterward. Q fever, and its far-reaching consequences, whichs still unknown to many doctors, resulting in misdiagnoses and underreporting.
Het is coming I still believe that people can become infected with Q feverorts. The RIVM reported that in 2025 six Cases of acute and chronic Q fever have been reported. In 2022, there were twelve. The number of reported cases is lower than the actual number of acute Q fever patients, because people with pneumonia are usually not tested for Q-fever.4Current Situation Regarding Q Fever | RIVM
UIT research is It turned out that people who were inside a radius of Living 500 meters from a goat farm, 73% are more likely to develop pneumonia than others The Netherlandsers.5These cases of pneumonia are caused by a bacterium other than the Q fever bacterium. Housingsomeone within a radius of a kilometer from a goat farm, then hethat person 19% is more likely to pneumonia.6New Study: People Living Near Goat Barns Do Indeed Get Pneumonia More Often The Health Council was established in 2025 with the recommendation to protect local residents from emissions from goat farms protect. Back in February of this year, the NOS ran a headline that read that this advice is being ignored and that houses are still being built near goat farmingrijen.7 Municipalities in Gelderland Ignore Recommendations: New Construction Near Goat Farms to Proceed Anyway
Liability
In 20On the 17th, the rThe Family Court in The Hague ruled that the State is not liable for the damages suffered by Q-fever patients. According to the rfamily court The State has taken sufficient measures to protect its citizens. On appeal The victims are represented by attorneys from Beer.
Since people living near goat farms still have a (much) higher risk of health problems, the question arises as to whether what the government should no longer do to mitigate risks and whether the balance between economic interests and public health should not be affected otherwise. If a permit was granted without proper consideration of health interests, or if there was a lack of oversight to ensure compliance, the government may be held liable (again).
Furthermore, it might be worth investigating whether goat farmers successfully liable kunne... must be stated. There are several possible legal bases for this. For example, the goat farmer may be liable for creating a hazard: creating a hazard that could cause harm to others, while failing to take adequate precautions. Think about the do not take measures known to reduce health risks.
In addition, a nuisance may constitute a legal basis shen. If a goat farm consistently emits odors, particulate matter, or harmful microorganismsn If the odor spreads in a way that goes beyond what nearby residents can reasonably be expected to tolerate, this may be unlawful. Whether this is the case depends on factors such as the severity and duration of the nuisance, the distance between the goat farm and nearby residents, and whether the owner complies with the permit conditions.
Concerns about Q fever or a goat farm?
Do you have any health issues that mCould this be related to a goat farm in your area? Or are you u Q-choreic patient And are you wondering what your legal position is? Beer advocaten exclusively represents victims and would be happy to help you figure things out. Please feel free to contact us.
This blog was written by Nadim Abdalla, Puck van Maanen, Bert Manten and Bojan Dekker. Abdalla, Van Maanen and Dekker work as lawyers at Beer advocaten, Manten is affiliated with the firm as an internist and intensivist.
