Two more die of Q fever

Friday 26 February 2010

Two more people have died of the goat and sheep-carried virus Q fever, bringing the official death toll to nine.

Both had other health problems and were suffering from a chronic version of the disease, the public health institute RIVM said.

Government vets are currently in the middle of culling all pregnant goats on farms where Q fever has been found. The bacteria which leads to Q fever is released when infected sheep and goats have miscarriages and spreads easily.

Factory farming

In total, over 40,000 animals on some 75 farms are being killed in an effort to get the spread of the disease under control.

Q fever was relatively unknown in humans prior to 2007. The disease leads to flu-like symptoms in adults but can cause lung and heart problems.

Experts say the epidemic may well be due to the launch of an intensive goat farming industry in the Netherlands. In 1995, there were 7,600 goats in the Netherlands and now there are over 350,000, mostly kept in factory farms.

© DutchNews.nl

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