The spread of the animal-borne disease Q-fever among the Dutch population calls for drastic measures, according to advice issued by a group of experts. They recommend the wholesale slaughter of pregnant goats on farms where the disease has been confirmed.

Dutch public TV programme Zembla got hold of a copy of the recommendations and revealed that Health Minister Ab Klink intends to act on them.
 

Q-fever is caused by bacteria (Coxiella burnetii) released when pregnant goats or sheep have spontaneous abortions. The disease is prevalent in areas in the southern Netherlands with large-scale goat farms and a relatively dense population.
 

So far 2000 Dutch people have been diagnosed with the disease. Five of them have died.
 

Publication of an official map detailing the areas affected was announced for Monday, but Minister Klink and his Agriculture colleague, Gerda Verburg, decided to postpone publication until a coherent set of new measures against Q-fever has been agreed.
 

The symptoms of the disease resemble those of flu, and include severe headaches, shivers and perspiration, aching muscles, sickness and diarrhoea and a slow pulse rate. The acute variant of the disease lasts for up to two weeks, but there is also a chronic variant which may last two years, with fatigue as its main symptom.

 

2009 incidence of Q-fever in the Netherlands (Graphic: RIVM)