The Epinhood (TEH)

Q FEVER – BULGARIA (03): (SOFIYA)

A ProMED-mail post
http://www.promedmail.org
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
http://www.isid.org

Date: Wed 2 Aug 2023
Source: BNT – Bulgaria [in Bulgarian, machine trans., edited] https://bntnews.bg/news/babh-zatvori-ferma-v-etropole-zaradi-sluchai-na-ku-treska-1243067news.html

The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency [BABH] closed a farm in Etropole due
to a registered case of whooping cough [Q fever – Mod.JH].

All this happened after the husband of the owner of the farm was
admitted to the hospital for treatment with suspicion of developed
pulmonary pneumonia. However, when the complaints appeared in the
woman and their son, the family doctor decided to report to the BABH
because they have a farm. Meanwhile, the man was sent for laboratory
tests for whooping fever [Q fever – Mod.JH] last Thursday [27 Jul
2023].

In response to an inquiry by BNT [Bulgarian National Television], the
BABH replied that the result for co-fever [Q fever – Mod.JH] was
positive; therefore, on 1 Aug [2023], an inspector at the ODBH Sofia
at the BABH visited the farm and drew up an act of foreclosure. A ban
has been imposed on the export of animals or products of animal origin
from the farm, and the entry of outsiders has been suspended. 61
sheep, 15 buffalo, 31 cattle and 10 goats are bred in the site.

Today [2 Aug 2023], the man was released from the hospital and,
according to him, he can get involved in helping his family in caring
for the animals.

Whooping fever [Q fever – Mod.JH] is an acute infectious disease
characterized by sudden fatigue, headache, and atypical pneumonia. It
occurs relatively rarely, except for isolated epidemic outbreaks in
some regions of the country.

Both wild and farm animals are affected by Q fever. Ticks of more than
70 species are not only carriers, but also reservoirs of the
infection. People can become infected mainly from domestic animals. In
Bulgaria, most often these are cows, buffaloes, sheep, and goats,
which are often asymptomatic.

After getting sick with whooping fever [Q fever – Mod.JH], the human
body creates a permanent immunity that protects against repeated
diseases.