Zintan— The National Center for Research on Tropical and Transboundary Diseases (NCRTTD) has recorded the first cases of Q Fever in Zintan and warned of its transmission to humans

According to Dr. Abdulwahhab, Director of the Center in Zintan, the outbreak of Q fever was detected in two flocks of sheep in the city, marking the first official record of the fever in Libya, Al-Masar TV reported.

The disease is common to humans and animals and is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which can survive in the environment for months and is transmitted primarily through the inhalation of dust or contaminated animal secretions.

The NCRTTD confirmed that work is underway, in coordination with veterinary and health authorities, to implement isolation and preventive measures to prevent the spread of the infection.

In August 2025, the emergence of Q fever was reported in Slovakia’s Prievidza district. This was the country’s first recorded outbreak of such disease in three decades, according to Spectator website.

According to the World Organization of Animal Health (WOAH), Q fever is a widespread disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, which can infect mammals, birds, reptiles and arthropods.

It causes a mild disease in ruminants, but can cause abortions and still births in cattle, sheep, and goats. It is a zoonosis, a disease of animals that can infect humans. Q fever can be spread by ticks which pass the bacteria from an infected to susceptible animal, or contracted by drinking unpasteurized infected milk.

First identified in Australia in 1935, Q fever has since been found worldwide, with the exception of New Zealand. Q fever is listed in the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code and Member Countries and Territories are obligated to report occurrences of the disease to the WOAH according to the WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code.