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Q fever is a zoonotic disease of worldwide significance caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii. Humans with Q fever may experience an acute flu-like illness and pneumonia and/or chronic hepatitis or endocarditis. Various markers demonstrate significant phylogenetic separation between and clustering among isolates from acute and chronic human disease. The clinical and pathological responses to infection with phase I C. burnetii isolates from the following four genomic groups were evaluated in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice and in guinea pig infection models: group I (Nine Mile, African, and Ohio), group IV (Priscilla and P), group V (G and S), and group VI (Dugway). Isolates from all of the groups produced disease in the SCID mouse model, and genogroup-consistent trends were noted in cytokine production in response to infection in the immunocompetent-mouse model. Guinea pigs developed severe acute disease when aerosol challenged with group I isolates, mild to moderate acute disease in response to group V isolates, and no acute disease when infected with group IV and VI isolates. C. burnetii isolates have a range of disease potentials; isolates within the same genomic group cause similar pathological responses, and there is a clear distinction in strain virulence between these genomic groups. more...

Coxiella burnetii, the etiological agent of Q fever, is a Gram-negative bacterium transmitted to humans by inhalation of contaminated aerosols. Acute Q fever is often self-limiting, presenting as a febrile illness that can result in atypical pneumonia. In some cases, Q fever becomes chronic, leading to endocarditis that can be life threatening. The formalin-inactivated whole-cell vaccine (WCV) confers long-term protection but has significant side effects when administered to presensitized individuals. more...