Q fever can be diagnosed using a blood test.
Blood test
If the c. burnetii bacteria that cause Q fever are present in your blood, your immune system (the body’s natural defence system) will produce a type of protein called an antibody to kill them. A sample of your blood will be tested at a laboratory for the presence of these antibodies. The antibodies should show up two or three weeks after you have been infected.
A sample of your blood can also be tested after you have been treated to check that the antibodies have gone.
Further tests
If you develop inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia) or inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), you may have some further tests such as:
- a chest X-ray to see how the infection has affected your lungs
- liver function tests to see how well your liver is working
