Q fever naturally infects goats, sheep, and cattle. If transmitted to humans, the infection can lead to diverse clinical outcomes including flu-like symptoms, miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnant women.
Dr. Anders Omsland is an associate professor in the Paul G. Allen School for Global Health. His research focuses on the pathogenesis of bacterial obligate intracellular parasites (BOIPs), specifically Coxiella burnetii and Chlamydia trachomatis.