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Q fever
(ku fe´vәr)
a febrile rickettsial infection caused by Coxiella burnetii. The causative microorganisms are found on the hides of sheep and cattle, and humans contract the disease by breathing in
dried microorganisms carried in dust particles in the air. Symptoms include sudden high fever, chills, headache, muscle pains,
and coughing; pneumonitis, hepatitis, and endocarditis are occasional complications.

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