Q fever has been detected in several reindeer at the GaiaZOO zoo in Kerkrade. Although the risk for visitors is small, we recommend extra vigilance for certain risk groups.
What happened?
Four reindeer in the zoo tested positive for Q fever through laboratory tests after an abortion. One female reindeer that gave birth to a live calf in early May has also tested positive, as has the newborn calf.
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 births and abortions, the chance of infections for visitors is small. The enclosure was cleaned immediately after the births and abortions to prevent further spread of the bacteria.
Who is at risk?
The bacteria that cause the disease can spread through the air. The risk of becoming ill seems small at this time. If you were in GAIAZoo on April 29, May 11, May 18, May 21, or June 1, please contact your doctor if you have a fever with headaches or pneumonia. Especially if you are pregnant, have an aneurysm, heart valve problems, vascular prosthesis, heart valve prosthesis, or an immune disorder.
Small chance of new infections from reindeer
The bacteria are primarily released during the birth of calves or when an animal has an abortion. There is still 1 pregnant animal in GaiaZOO. The zoo has decided to take measures to eliminate the risk that this brings. There is no evidence that other animals are sick. Some of these have been vaccinated and further research is being conducted for safety reasons.
What is Q fever?
Q fever is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii. Most people get Q fever by inhaling air containing the bacteria. If goats, sheep, or cows, or in this case reindeer, are infected with Q fever, the bacteria can be released during the birth of lambs or calves. There are different variants of the virus, some of which can infect humans more easily than others. Some variants cause symptoms for pregnant women more quickly than others. The variant that caused the large Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands between 2007 and 2011, for example, caused few problems for pregnant women. Researchers from WBVR (Wageningen Bioveterinary Research) are still investigating the variant.