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Q fever vaccination added to the AIR
The immunisations, which can only be administered once in a person’s life, were previously tracked by a private meat processing company.
Queensland experienced a significant spike in cases last year with 325 notifications.
GPs will be able to register Q fever shots on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) from 15 April, in a move to ensure more comprehensive records are kept for the one-off vaccine.
The national database shift will support the closure of the Q Fever Register, which is owned and funded by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation and administered by AUS-MEAT.
Deputy Chair of RACGP Expert Committee – Practice Technology and Management Dr Steven Kaye told newsGP he has been advocating for this change for several years.
‘The vaccine is a one-off, it must not be given a second time, and it must not be given if the person has had Q fever,’ he said.
‘So, the value of having it on the register is high.’
Dr Kaye said he ‘figured out years ago’ that relying on a private company to maintain Q fever immunisation records represented ‘a poor circumstance’, as previous exposure to Q fever or prior vaccination can cause adverse reactions.
‘The knowledge base needs to be widespread, it needs to be available to health practitioners and to the patients themselves,’ he said.
Anyone seeking a Q fever vaccine needs to undergo pre-vaccination testing, with both blood and skin tests negative.
As the infection stems from the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which is often found in high-risk animals such as cattle, camels, sheep, goats, and kangaroos, Dr Kaye said anyone working with meat and livestock could be at risk of exposure.
‘Farmers, abattoir workers, shearers – people in any of those industries,’ he said.
The Australian Immunisation Handbook recommends vaccination for at-risk people aged 15 and over, which in addition to farmers and livestock workers, includes veterinarians, wildlife and zoo workers, animal transporters, or dog and cat breeders.
While many people infected with Q Fever have no or few symptoms, those who do become sick often have a severe flu-like illness, including:
- high fevers and chills
- severe ‘drenching’ sweats
- severe headaches, often behind the eyes
- muscle and joint pains
- extreme fatigue (tiredness).
Without treatment, symptoms can last 2–6 weeks and patients may also develop hepatitis or pneumonia.
Queensland experienced a significant spike in cases last year with 325 notifications, according to the
National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System – the highest number since 2002.
The vaccination is not funded under the National Immunisation Program, or by states and territories.
Any medical practitioner can provide the immunisation, with the cost varying between $380 and $420 depending on out-of-pocket expenses for consultations.
GPs can update patient records on the AIR using a statement from the Q Fever Register and other supporting documentation, in line with the recommendations made within the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
The AIR will not include information about vaccination or natural immunity status prior to 15 April 2024, unless this information has been reported.
Information from the Q Fever Register for individuals, including their Q Fever eStatement, will be available until 30 June 2025.
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Australian Immunisation Register immunisation Q fever vaccination
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