Mackay Hospital and Health Service has some of the highest rates of Q fever notifications in Australia.
Q fever is an air-borne illness caused by virus coxiella burnetti and generally causes normal symptoms for a viral illness however it can affect the valves of the heart and liver causing long-term effects of fatigue.
This study on Q fever was commenced by then-fifth year James Cook University medical students Pirathaban Sivabalan and Apoorva Saboo (pictured) under the guidance of Dr Robert Norton and Dr James Yew.
The primary aim of the study was to investigate exposure risk factors, in particular the effect of wildlife and rainfall on the prevalence of Q fever.
Supported by Mackay Base Hospital and James Cook University, the two-year research project has led to findings relevant both locally in the Mackay region and rest of Australia, particularly in travel medicine and infectious diseases.
Researcher and now Surgical Principal House Officer at Mackay Base Hospital Dr Apoorva Saboo said Proserpine and the Whitsunday region in particular were identified as hotspots for the illness.
“We found that for every 100,000 persons 42 people had been diagnosed with Q fever in Proserpine and 14.8 in the Whitsunday region,” she said.
“That’s basically 26 times the national average in Proserpine and nine times the average in the Whitsunday region, it’s a significant difference.”
The secondary aims were to identify occupational, social and lifestyle factors that may increase the risk and to examine the geographical distribution of Q fever in the region.
Research lead and Director of Microbiology and Pathology at Townsville Hospital Dr Robert Norton said Q fever is an important infectious disease that has in the past been strongly associated with the abattoir and cattle industries. “Over the last 10 years there has been an increased awareness that this may not be the only occupation to be at risk in our region,” Dr Norton said.
“Our study looked at over 60 cases of Q fever in and around Mackay HHS to determine what risk factors were involved.
“We found that exposure and direct contact with native mammals such as wallabies was a significant risk factor.
“We also found a direct association between rainfall and cases with majority of cases diagnosed in Summer and Autumn.”
With a high incidence of Q fever and being an integral area for wildlife in Queensland, the research team believes Mackay HHS is an ideal study location to further evaluate exposure risk factors for Q fever.
While their retrospective study has its limitations it has built a good foundation for further prospective studies.
