Coxiella burnetii is classified with the rickettsiae but behaves differently from Rickettsia and Orientia species in several respects. Which one of the following statements about C. burnetii is correct?
- A It causes a maculopapular rash spreading centripetally from the wrists
- B It is transmitted primarily by tick bites in rural areas
- C It forms spore-like structures that survive outside the host and infects via inhalation of contaminated aerosols ✓
- D It shows strong agglutination with OX-19 Proteus antigen in the Weil-Felix test
Correct answer: C. It forms spore-like structures that survive outside the host and infects via inhalation of contaminated aerosols
Explanation
Coxiella burnetii undergoes a spore-like developmental form that resists drying and disinfectants, allowing airborne spread from infected animal placentas and birth fluids. It characteristically causes a pneumonia or hepatitis without a rash, unlike the spotted fever group. Because it shares little antigenic cross-reactivity with Proteus, the Weil-Felix test is negative in Q fever, which also rules out option D.
Reference: Ananthanarayan and Paniker's Textbook of Microbiology, 12th ed.
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