Diagnosis
Diagnosis is usually based on serology rather than looking for the organism itself. Serology allows to detect chronic infection as high antibody levels are found against the virulent form of the bacterium. Molecular detection of bacterial DNA is increasingly used. Culture is technically difficult and not routinely available in most microbiology laboratories.
Q fever can cause endocarditis which may require transoesophageal echocardiography to diagnose. Q fever hepatitis manifests as an elevation of ALT and AST, but a definitive diagnosis is only possible on liver biopsy which shows the characteristic fibrin ring granulomas.
Q fever can cause endocarditis which may require transoesophageal echocardiography to diagnose. Q fever hepatitis manifests as an elevation of ALT and AST, but a definitive diagnosis is only possible on liver biopsy which shows the characteristic fibrin ring granulomas.
Image A: A normal chest X-ray
Image B: Q Fever pneumonia
