As volunteer who spent about a month in Gyetiase last Autumn has written us the following warning:
“A couple of weeks after my return to the USA I started to feel very poorly. Will not bore you with details. I live in a small village in the USA where ‘African maladies’ are quite unknown so routine blood tests were not helpful.
“In January I came to Jerusalem, where ‘African maladies’ are common. Turns out I had Q FEver. I was treated with appropriate antibiotics and now feel quite fine. An Israeli Ministry of Health official called me when the lab results came in to ask where I got it and gave me some good information.
“Perhaps the fact that I was charmed watching a mother goat give birth has a lot to do with the fact that I contracted the disease.
Briefly, it is seems to come from bacteria emitted by livestock, especially, though not solely, from sheep and goats. It is an airborne disease. I mentioned the birth as it seems that gazillions of these bacteria are emitted at that time, though they are also floating around generally. It seems that it is not communicable by human contact. Interestingly, if you look up Q fever Ashanti you will find a research project done in several villages in the Ashanti district.
If it is treated quickly it should go away quickly. Apparently it can be dangerous to people with certain conditions.
