Q fever

noun

: a disease characterized by high fever, chills, muscular pains, headache, and sometimes pneumonia that is caused by a bacterium (Coxiella burnetii of the family Coxiellaceae) of which domestic animals serve as reservoirs and that is transmitted to humans especially by inhalation of infectious airborne bacteria

Examples of Q fever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Cases of Japanese encephalitis were reported in India, of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Iraq, and of Q fever among Russians along the Ukrainian border. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 21 Oct. 2022 Furthermore, other airborne pathogens, such as a bacterium called Coxiella burnetti, which passes from animals to humans and causes the illness Q fever, have caused outbreaks that were stopped directly with the use of N95s. Time, 14 Nov. 2022 An examination of chronic fatigue after three different infections—EBV, Q fever, and Ross River virus—identified a similar pattern: frequent post-infection symptoms, which gradually decreased over months. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 11 Oct. 2022 The scientists found that Dubbo residents could develop chronic fatigue after several illnesses, among them Q fever, which is caused by bacteria carried by livestock; Ross River fever, spread by mosquitoes; and Epstein-Barr infection, transmitted via human saliva. New York Times, 21 Jan. 2021 By 1952, the nation was itself well on its way to manufacturing weapons-grade brucella, tularemia, Q fever, anthrax, and many more biological agents, and was denying accusations of waging biological warfare by China, North Korea and Cuba (9)(10). Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2013

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Q fever.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

query

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Q fever was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near Q fever

Cite this Entry

“Q fever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Q%20fever. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

Q fever

noun
: a disease that is characterized by high fever, chills, muscular pains, headache, and sometimes pneumonia, that is caused by a gram-negative bacterium of the genus Coxiella (C. burnetii) of which domestic animals serve as reservoirs, and that is transmitted to humans especially by inhalation of infectious airborne bacteria (as in contaminated dust)

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