Q fever detected in several forest reindeer at the GaiaZOO, Kerkrade, Netherlands
The Netherlands RIVM reports four forest reindeer at the GaiaZOO zoo in Kerkrade have been diagnosed with Q fever through laboratory tests after a miscarriage. A fifth forest reindeer that gave birth to a live calf in early May has also tested positive.
As a precaution , the zoo placed the entire herd behind screens to prevent contact between the herd and the public. Because there was a risk of spreading the bacteria, especially around the time of the birth and miscarriages, the risk of infection for visitors is small. The enclosure was cleaned immediately after the birth and miscarriages to prevent further spread of the bacteria.
RIVM says the bacteria that causes the disease can spread through the air. The risk of becoming ill seems small at the moment. Have you been to GaiaZOO last month, but especially on 29 April, 11 May, 18 May, 21 May or 1 June? Then report to your GP if you have a fever with headache or pneumonia. Especially if you are pregnant , have an aneurysm , heart valve problems , vascular prosthesis , heart valve prosthesis or an immune disorder.
The bacteria is mainly released during the birth of calves or when an animal has a miscarriage. There is still 1 animal pregnant in GaiaZOO, The zoo has decided to take measures to eliminate the risk that this entails. There are no indications that other animals are sick. Some of these have been vaccinated and additional research is still being carried out to be sure.
Q fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii . Most people get Q fever by inhaling air that contains the bacteria. If goats, sheep or cows or in this case forest reindeer are infected with Q fever, the bacteria can be released during the birth of lambs or calves. There are different strains of the bacteria, some of which can infect humans more easily than other strains. Some variants cause symptoms for pregnant women more quickly than others. For example, the strain that caused the major Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands between 2007 and 2011 caused few problems for pregnant women. Researchers from the WBVR (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research) are still investigating the strain.