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One Uruguayan dies of Q fever
Four Uruguayans were infected
with Q fever and one of them died in a rural area, health authorities
said Wednesday.
Two workers caught the disease when cutting weed as part of maintenance
work for the antenna of Channel 4, in the Pan de Azucar hill, 100 km
east of Uruguay's capital Montevideo.
The other two fell ill when working in a deer-breeding ranch and one of
them died.
The disease was detected last year in three ranches of the area,w here
several animals were infected with Q fever.
This disease, caused by the Coxiella burnetii bacteria, was first
detected in Australia in 1935. Outbreaks of the disease have been
recorded in more than 50 countries across the world.
The mortality rate is very low if the disease was treated properly. Even
not treated, fewer than 1 percent of patients may die.
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