COXIELLA BURNETII Meaning and
Definition
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Coxiella burnetii is a small, gram-negative bacterium that belongs to the family Coxiellaceae. It is the causative agent of Q fever, a zoonotic disease that primarily affects animals but can also be transmitted to humans. The bacterium is highly resilient and resistant to many environmental factors, allowing it to survive in various animal reservoirs and persist in the environment for extended periods.
C. burnetii has a unique lifecycle that enables it to survive and multiply in both mammalian and arthropod hosts. It is capable of forming spore-like structures called "small-cell variants" (SCVs), enabling it to resist harsh conditions and evade the host's immune system. In the host, the bacterium localizes within phagolysosomes, where it replicates and causes cellular damage.
Q fever is typically transmitted to humans through inhalation of contaminated aerosols from infected animals such as livestock, particularly cattle, sheep, and goats. In humans, it can cause a wide range of symptoms, ranging from flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and muscle pains, to more severe manifestations including pneumonia, hepatitis, and endocarditis.
Diagnosis of C. burnetii infection is typically done through serological testing, detecting specific antibodies against the bacterium in the patient's blood. Treatment generally involves the administration of antibiotics such as doxycycline, although severe cases may require hospitalization and more aggressive therapy.
Preventive measures to reduce the risk of Q fever transmission include proper hygiene and sanitation practices, as well as vaccination of high-risk individuals such as farmers, veterinarians, and laboratory workers. Overall, understanding the biology and epidemiology of C. burnetii is essential for effective control and prevention of Q fever.
Common Misspellings for COXIELLA BURNETII
- xoxiella burnetii
- voxiella burnetii
- foxiella burnetii
- doxiella burnetii
- cixiella burnetii
- ckxiella burnetii
- clxiella burnetii
- cpxiella burnetii
- c0xiella burnetii
- c9xiella burnetii
- coziella burnetii
- cociella burnetii
- codiella burnetii
- cosiella burnetii
- coxuella burnetii
- coxjella burnetii
- coxkella burnetii
- coxoella burnetii
- cox9ella burnetii
- cox8ella burnetii
Etymology of COXIELLA BURNETII
The word "Coxiella" in "Coxiella burnetii" is named after Dr. Harold Taylor Cox, who discovered Coxiella burnetii in the 1930s. Dr. Cox was an Australian veterinarian and microbiologist who made significant contributions to the study of Q fever, the disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii.
The word "burnetii" is named in honor of Professor Frank Macfarlane Burnet, an influential Australian virologist and Nobel laureate. Burnet worked closely with Cox in studying Q fever and made important contributions to understanding the disease.
Therefore, the etymology of "Coxiella burnetii" is a combination of the last names of Dr. Harold Taylor Cox and Professor Frank Macfarlane Burnet, both of whom made significant contributions to the discovery and study of the bacteria responsible for Q fever.
