Q fever, a bacterial zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, poses a serious but underrecognized public health risk in Kenyan cattle-keeping communities. Despite its potential to cause life-threatening illnesses in humans, awareness of the disease remains alarmingly low, particularly in pastoralist regions like Kajiado County. Many residents and even healthcare workers are unaware of its existence, leading to missed diagnoses and untreated cases.
The disease is primarily transmitted from animals especially cattle, goats, and sheep through contact with contaminated milk, urine, feces, blood, or airborne particles. Women in Maasai communities, traditionally responsible for milking and assisting animals during calving, are at particularly high risk of exposure. Infected individuals may develop symptoms ranging from mild fever and fatigue to severe complications like pneumonia, hepatitis, or endocarditis. Chronic Q fever is especially dangerous for those with underlying heart conditions and pregnant women, often leading to miscarriages or stillbirths.
Testing for Q fever is a significant challenge. Local health centres generally lack diagnostic tools for the disease, relying instead on external facilities such as universities for confirmation. As a result, many cases go undetected or are misdiagnosed as other illnesses with similar symptoms, like brucellosis. This gap delays appropriate treatment, often causing prolonged suffering for patients.
Recent studies have shown startling levels of infection. In a sample of over 1,000 patients from various health facilities in Kajiado, 60% tested positive for Q fever. Another study found that 27% of cases were acute, while nearly half of participants had chronic or past exposure. These numbers suggest the disease is far more widespread than previously thought.
Efforts to control the disease face several barriers, including lack of funding for laboratory reagents and absence of community outreach programs. Though an effective vaccine has existed since 1989, it is currently licensed for use only in Australia. In Kenya, the absence of approved vaccination programs leaves communities vulnerable.
Health professionals urge the government and health agencies to scale up local testing, improve diagnostic capacity, and launch robust awareness campaigns. Educating both healthcare providers and the public about Q fever is essential to preventing further infections and improving outcomes for those already affected. Without increased investment in diagnostics and public education, the disease will continue to thrive undetected, posing a silent but serious threat to pastoralist communities.
