Q fever goat disease spreads to humans
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Local, state and federal health and agricultural officials are investigating a bacterial infection called Q fever that apparently has spread from goats to humans.
The Spokesman-Review reports it has sickened five people in the Moses Lake area with flu-like symptoms. Officials also have traced infected goats to Cascade and Teton counties in Montana where six people have been stricken.
Washington Agriculture Department spokesman Jason Kelly says goats at a Moses Lake farm that had trouble birthing in April were found to be infected with the Q fever bacteria. Goats from the Grant County farm have been traced to nine other counties in Washington: Spokane, Adams, Pend Oreille, Walla Walla, Franklin, Clark, Thurston, Kittitas and Chelan.
State Health Department spokesman Donn Moyer says human cases of Q fever are rare.
___
Information from: The Spokesman-Review, http://www.spokesman.com
More like this
Bacterial contamination forces closure of Klineline Pond
