Q Fever Prevention

• Q Fever Prevention ( )
  Document Type: Guidance Note
  Keycode: web only
  Industry: Farming Health and Aged Care Sector 
  Category: Infectious Diseases 
  Division Author: Manufacturing & Agriculture
  Publication Date: 13 August 2007
  Date First Published: 05 September 2001
  Summary: This guidance provides information on Q Fever and its prevention.

Q Fever Prevention

Q fever is an infectious disease caused by the germ Coxiella burnetti. The germ is carried by cattle, sheep, goats (particularly feral goats) and some wild animals such as kangaroos.

Q fever is an occupational hazard for:

• workers in abattoirs (including contractors)
• animal transporters
• shearers, wool classers, pelt and hide processors
• veterinary personnel
• farm workers, and
• dairy workers.
• other people who work with raw animal products, particularly reproductive organs

Visitors entering contaminated environments, and who are not immune to the disease, may also be susceptible to Q fever.

Managing Q fever - what are the legal requirements?

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, employers must provide and maintain, as far as reasonably practicable, a working environment that is safe and without risks to health. This duty extends to:

• employees, including contractors; and
• the public who may be adversely affected by the employer's business activities

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 Part 5 duties relating to incidents, when a person is diagnosed with Q fever and is admitted to hospital for immediate treatment, the employer must notify the Victorian WorkCover Authority on becoming aware of this.

Q fever is a Notifiable Infectious Disease under the Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 2001. Medical practitioners and laboratories that diagnose cases of Q fever are required to notify the Department of Human Services in writing within five days.

How is Q fever transmitted to humans?

Workers in close contact with animals and animal products that are infected (particularly cattle, sheep and goats) are at risk of contracting Q fever. The route of exposure is inhalation, that is the disease may be contracted by inhaling an infected airborne particle such as dust or mist.

Transmission of the Q fever germ may occur from:

• direct contact with an infected animal, their tissues or products.
• indirect exposure from inhaling contaminated dust. (Contaminated dust forms from the drying out of birth fluids, blood, faeces or urine.) Secondary handlers, for example: handling semi-thawed placentas, separating the foetus from the ovine placentas.
• drinking infected, unpasteurised milk.  

In humans, infection by tick bite is possible but unlikely, and human to human transmission of Q fever is extremely rare.

What are the health effects from Q fever?

Animals carrying the germ do not show any signs or symptoms that they are infected. Acute symptoms of Q fever include fever, chills, severe headaches, weakness, muscle pains and sweats lasting two to three weeks.

As the symptoms are similar to a severe influenza, Q fever is often misdiagnosed, and it is estimated that up to 75% of cases are not accurately reported. People may become infected without showing any symptoms. People who recover from Q fever appear to be immune for life.

A portion of people will suffer from long term fatigue syndrome, increased risk to heart attack or reproductive problems. Other severe problems can lead to hepatitis, pneumonia and encephalitis. In some cases, the germ may persist in the body causing health problems such as heart and liver complications, and post Q fever fatigue syndrome.

How is the risk managed?

Listed below are measures that should be considered when implementing controls for reducing the risk of Q fever. These control measures are adopted from the National Guidelines for Health and Safety in the Meat Industry, the Q Fever Information Kit for the Australian Meat Industry and publications from the State Government of Victoria, Australia, Department of Human Services (see “More Information”).

When developing and implementing a risk management program for Q fever, it is important to consult with health and safety representatives and employees, to determine the suitability of control measures.

Vaccination programs

• Implement a vaccination program that offers employees, contractors and other persons the opportunity to be screened and vaccinated against Q fever. Employers should seek expert medical advice prior to implementing such a program. Refer to the Q Fever Information Kit for the Australian Meat Industry (see “More Information”).
• Those at high risk of infection are abattoir workers, those associated with abattoirs and the meat processing industry, shearers and livestock and dairy farmers.
  Vaccination should be administered by a doctor trained by the Q fever vaccination program or its equivalent. Children 15 and over who may work part-time on the family property are also eligible for the vaccine.

Designing the workplace

• Identify work areas where employees might inhale dust, aerosols or come into contact with the Q fever germ. These may include, but are not limited to, kill floors, stock transport vehicles, yards and pens, offal rooms, slink rooms, skin sheds, and rendering areas.
• Install effective ventilation systems that reduce the dispersal of dusts and aerosols and prevent the formation of still pockets. Ventilation systems should have the intake and exhaust vents separated to prevent recirculation of contaminated air.
• Provide suitable washing and changing facilities for maintaining personal hygiene.

Implementing safe working practices

• Restrict access to Q fever risk areas to people who are required to be there. Where access to Q fever risk areas is required, minimise the time spent in these areas.
• Reduce exposure to Q fever organisms by minimising the generation of airborne contamination. This may include:
  • Training staff in effective knife skills that minimise damage to the udder (to minimise milk splashes) and rectum (to minimise release of faeces).
  • Maintaining the integrity of the animal organs such as the bladder, intestines and uterus when they are removed and lowered to the eviscerating table.
  • Washing stock on the race entering the kill floor with low pressure hoses to reduce the release of aerosols contaminated by infected dust or material.
• Reduce the spread of contamination. Ensure that personal clothing is stored away from work clothing and employees do not take contaminated work clothing out of the workplace.
• Prohibit eating, drinking, smoking, nail-biting in animal holding or processing facilities. Hands should be thoroughly washed before eating, drinking, smoking, going to the toilet, and at the end of the shift and in the event that they become contaminated with animal tissue or fluids.
• Clean and disinfect work areas regularly. Work areas should be designed for easy cleaning and drainage to prevent the formation of puddles.
• Inform workers about Q fever, its characteristics, and the nature of the risks and train them on the correct use of control measures adopted at the workplace.
• Burn contaminated litter.
• Pasteurise or boil milk.
• Implement an effective first aid program so that open wounds can be treated quickly to reduce the likelihood of organisms gaining entry to the body through the wound.
• Muzzle dogs that are used to move livestock, to prevent them from eating contaminated material.
• Implement an ongoing maintenance program to ensure the control measures continue to operate effectively. This would include routine inspection of ventilation systems, drainage systems, wash facilities etc.

See also

• Q fever warning for meat and livestock industry

 

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Acts and Regulations

Acts and Regulations relevant to this guidance note are:

• The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004
• The Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 2001

Acts and regulations are available from Information Victoria on 1300 366 356 or order online at www.bookshop.vic.gov.au.

View the legislation at Victorian Law Today at www.legislation.vic.gov.au.

Standards Australia

Standards relevant to this guidance note are:

• Worksafe Australia Guide, Diseases Acquired From Animals, published by the National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Available from NOHSC - www.ascc.gov.au or Government Infoshop, 190 Queen St. Melbourne 3000 tel. 9670 4224
• National Guidelines for Health and Safety in the Meat Industry, published by the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union and the Meat and Allied Trades Federation of Australia, tel. 9662 3766
• Q Fever Information Kit for the Australian Meat Industry, published by the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation, tel. (02) 9463 9166
• Contact your local WorkSafe Victoria office