Article:
[Fatigue after Q fever: Nothing New] (article in Dutch)
Source: Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, Nov 2012
By JJ Oosterheert, et al.
[Note: in the Netherlands, thousands have been diagnosed since 2007 with Q fever (caused by Coxiella burnetii, a bacterium transmitted by infected mammals including pets and farm animals; their feces, urine, meat & unpasteurized milk products; and by ticks). A human being can be infected by a single bacterium. Many people once diagnosed with Q fever have subsequently developed post-infection CFS symptoms.]
Abstract:
New guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of Q-fever related fatigue syndrome have been proposed.
However, we argue that Q-fever related fatigue syndrome is only just another description of a chronic fatigue syndrome in which a specific micro-organism is implicated.
We feel that development of this guideline comes too soon and may be redundant, as relevant diagnosis and treatment protocols for patients with chronic fatigue, without somatic or psychiatric cause, are already available and current evidence does not support a distinct guideline for fatigue after Q fever.
Rather, chronic infection with Coxiella burnetii should be ruled out.
Introducing the term 'Q-fever related fatigue syndrome' may only cause confusion, may lead to increased health-care costs, rather than improve patient management.
Source: Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde, Nov 2012;156(48):A5474. PMID:23191975, by Oosterheert JJ, Kampschreur L, Hoepelman AI. Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, afd. Interne Geneeskunde en Infectieziekten, Utrecht
