Q fever wata cuta ce mai hatsari wadda ƙwayar Coxiella burnetii ke haifarwa, wadda kuma take daga cikin ƙwayoyin cuta masu shiga cikin ƙwayoyin halitta na jiki (obligate intracellular bacteria). Wannan ƙwayar tana da ƙarfi sosai wajen tsira daga yanayi mai tsanani saboda tana iya jure zafi, sanyi, da bushewa na tsawon lokaci, har ma da wasu sinadarai masu kashe ƙwayoyin cuta. Wannan ƙarfi ne ya sa Coxiella burnetii ke iya wanzuwa a cikin ƙasa, ƙura, ko kayan da suka gurɓata na tsawon watanni da dama ba tare da ta lalace ba.
Q fever tana iya ƙamari a tsakanin mutane da dabbobi, musamman tumaki, awaki, da shanu, waɗanda su ne manyan masu ɗaukar ƙwayar cutar. Waɗannan dabbobi sukan ɗauki ƙwayar ba tare da nuna wata alama ta rashin lafiya ba, amma a lokacin haihuwa ko bayan gida, ƙwayar na fita cikin jinin haihuwa, fitsari sannan ta gurɓata muhalli.
A jikin mutum, Q fever na iya bayyana ta hanyoyi daban-daban, daga mai sauƙi zuwa tsanani. Wasu mutane ba sa nuna wata alama, amma a wasu lokuta tana iya haddasa zazzabi mai tsanani, ciwon hanta, ko ciwon zuciya idan ta zama mai tsanani. Saboda haka, masana kiwon lafiya suna ɗaukar ta a matsayin ɗaya daga cikin cututtukan da ke da matuƙar haɗari ga lafiyar jama’a, musamman a yankunan da ake kiwon dabbobi da yawa.
Tarihin samuwar Q fever
Gano Q fever ya samo asali ne daga shekarar 1935 a ƙasar Ostareliya, lokacin da wani likita mai suna Dr. Edward Derrick yake bincike, ya lura da wasu ma’aikatan yanka shanu da ke fama da zazzabi mai kama da cutar typhoid, amma duk gwaje-gwajen da aka yi sun nuna ba typhoid ba ne. Saboda rashin sanin asalin cutar a lokacin, Dr. Derrick ya kira ta da suna “Query fever”, wanda daga baya aka taƙaita sunan zuwa Q fever.
Bayan wannan ganowa, an ci gaba da bincike a duniya kuma a shekara ta 1937 wasu masana biyu, Herald Rea Cox da Frank Macfarlane Burnet, suka gano ainihin ƙwayar cutar, wato Coxiella burnetii. Sunan “Coxiella” an samo shi ne daga sunan Cox, ɗaya daga cikin waɗanda suka gano ƙwayar.
Daga nan, Q fever ta fara bayyana a ƙasashe da dama, ciki har da yankin Turai, Asiya, Amurka, da Afirka. Cutar ta kasance babbar matsala musamman a wuraren da ake kiwon tumaki, awaki da shanu a fili, saboda sauƙin yadda ƙwayar ke yaduwa ta iska da ƙura.
A Najeriya, bayanai sun nuna cewa Q fever tana daga cikin cututtukan da ba a cika gane su ba, saboda alamominta suna kama da na wasu cututtuka kamar typhoid, malaria, da ciwon huhu. Bincike da aka gudanar a yankunan arewacin ƙasar; musamman a jihohin Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, da Borno, ya nuna cewa akwai yawaitar ƙwayar Coxiella burnetii a jikin tumaki da awaki. Wannan ya tabbatar da cewa cutar tana wanzuwa a ƙasar, musamman a tsakanin makiyaya, manoma, da ma’aikatan kiwon dabbobi, waɗanda sukan kasance cikin haɗarin kamuwa saboda hulɗarsu kai tsaye da dabbobi.
A ƙoƙarin hukumar lafiya ta duniya (WHO) da cibiyoyin bincike na ƙasa, an fara wayar da kai kan muhimmancin gano Q fever da kuma kula da tsabtar muhalli a wajen kiwon dabbobi. Duk da haka, rashin kayan gwaji da ƙarancin sani a asibitoci suna ci gaba da hana gano cutar cikin sauri a Najeriya.
Hanyoyin yaɗuwar cutar
Q fever tana daga cikin cututtukan zoonotic, wato waɗanda ke yaɗuwa daga dabbobi zuwa mutane. Hanyarta ta yaduwa ta fi shahara ta iska, musamman ta hanyar shakar ƙura da ke ɗauke da ƙwayoyin Coxiella burnetii. Wannan ƙura na fitowa ne daga najasa, fitsari, ko jinin haihuwar dabbobi kamar tumaki, awaki, da shanu da suka kamu da cutar. Lokacin da wadannan dabbobin suka haihu, sukan saki ƙwayoyin cutar cikin jini da ruwa daga haihuwar, waɗanda ke ƙunshe da adadi mai yawa na ƙwayar cutar. Idan waɗannan abubuwa suka bushe, ƙwayar cutar na iya sgiga cikin ƙura, sannan mutum zai iya shaka ta cikin iska a sauƙaƙe.
Haka kuma, Q fever na iya yaduwa ta hanyar taɓa kayan haihuwar dabba irin su fata, ruwan jini, ko kayan kiwo da suka gurɓata da ƙwayar cutar. Masu kiwon dabbobi, masu yankawa, da likitocin dabbobi suna cikin haɗari sosai saboda hulɗarsu kai tsaye da irin waɗannan dabbobi.
A wasu lokuta kuma, shan nonon dabbobin da ba a tafasa ba na iya zama wata hanya ta kamuwa, musamman idan nonon ya fito daga dabbar da ta kamu da cutar. Sai dai wannan hanyar tana da ƙaranci idan aka kwatanta da shakar iska.
An samu rahotanni kaɗan na yaduwar Q fever daga mutum zuwa mutum, amma hakan abu ne mai matuƙar wuya. Irin wannan yaɗuwa na iya faruwa ta hanyar jini, kayan aikin asibiti, ko a lokacin haihuwa, musamman idan akwai gurɓata kai tsaye da ƙwayar cutar. Duk da haka, masana sun tabbatar cewa babbar hanyar yaduwar cutar ta fi kasancewa ta iska daga muhallin da ya gurɓata da ƙwayar Coxiella burnetii.
A ƙasashe kamar Najeriya, yawan hulɗar jama’a da dabbobi, da kuma rashin amfani da kayan kariya yayin haihuwa ko yankan dabbobi, suna ƙara yawan yiwuwar kamuwa da Q fever. Wannan shi ne dalilin da ya sa cutar ke ɓuya cikin wasu cututtuka na zazzabi a yankunan karkara.
Alamomin Q fever
Alamomin Q fever sukan bayyana bayan kwanaki 2 zuwa 3 ko har zuwa mako biyu bayan kamuwa da ƙwayar cutar. A jikin wasu mutane, cutar tana iya tafiya ba tare da wata alama ba, musamman idan garkuwar jikinsu na da ƙarfi. Amma ga waɗanda alamomin ke bayyana, sukan haɗa da:
Mutum na iya samun zazzabi mai tsanani wanda yakan zo ba tare da wani bayani ba, yana tare da ciwon kai, jin gajiya, ciwon tsoka da ciwon baya. Wasu lokuta ana samun tashin zuciya, amai, da ciwon ciki, ko kuma ciwon huhu wanda ke kawo tari da wahalar numfashi.
A jikin wasu marasa lafiya, Q fever na iya zama mai tsanani har ta shafi wasu sassan jiki kamar hanta, inda take haddasa kumburin hanta (hepatitis) da ƙaruwar enzymes a jini. Idan kuma cutar ta zama mai tsawo (chronic form), tana iya kaiwa ga endocarditis, wato kumburin jijiyoyin zuciya, musamman ga mutanen da ke da matsalar zuciya tun farko.
Alamomin Q fever sukan ɗauki kwanaki 7 zuwa 14 kafin su lafa, amma a wasu lokuta, marar lafiya na iya ci gaba da jin rauni da gajiya har na tsawon watanni bayan kamuwa.
Illolin cutar Q fever
Babban hatsarin Q fever shi ne yuwuwar ta zama chronic infection, wato cutar ta daɗe a jiki ba tare da ta warke gabaɗaya ba. Wannan na faruwa ne musamman ga mutanen da garkuwar jikinsu ta raunana, masu amfani da kayan dashen zuciya (heart valves), ko masu cutar zuciya da hanta.
A irin waɗannan mutane, Q fever tana iya jawo endocarditis, wato kumburi da lalacewar jijiyoyin zuciya, wanda idan ba a gano da wuri ba, yana iya kaiwa ga mutuwa. Haka kuma, cutar tana iya shafar hanta da koda, inda take haddasa kumburi, lalacewa, da rage aikin waɗannan gabobi.
Wani abin damuwa shi ne cewa Coxiella burnetii tana iya zama a jikin mutum na tsawon watanni ko ma shekaru ba tare da ta nuna wata alama ba, sannan daga baya ta sake bayyana a matsayin chronic Q fever. Wannan yanayi na buƙatar dogon magani da kulawa ta musamman a asibiti.
Idan ba a gane cutar da wuri ba, tana iya zama barazana ga lafiyar jama’a, musamman a yankunan karkara inda mutane ke hulɗa da dabbobi a kullum, kuma ba sa samun isasshiyar kulawa ta likita.
Maganin Q fever
Maganin Q fever yana ta’allaka ne da amfani da kwayoyin rigakafi (antibiotics) da suka fi tasiri a kan kwayar Coxiella burnetii. Maganin da aka fi amfani da shi shi ne doxycycline, wanda likitoci ke ba da shi a matsayin magani na farko, musamman ga marasa lafiya da ke da nau’in Q fever mai tsanani. Ana shan doxycycline sau biyu a rana tsawon makonni biyu, ko fiye idan alamu sun daɗe.
Ga waɗanda cutar ta koma chronic Q fever; wato cutar ta daɗe a jiki kuma ta shafi zuciya ko wasu sassan jiki, ana buƙatar haɗa magunguna biyu, wato doxycycline da hydroxychloroquine. Wannan haɗin yana taimakawa wajen rage ƙarfin ƙwayar cutar da hana sake dawowar ta. Lokacin maganin chronic Q fever kan ɗauka na iya kaiwa shekaru biyu ko fiye, saboda wahalar kawar da kwayar gabaɗaya daga jiki.
A wasu lokuta, idan marar lafiya ba ya iya shan doxycycline saboda dalilan lafiya (misali mata masu juna biyu), ana iya amfani da wasu magunguna kamar trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) a madadin doxycycline. Duk da haka, likita ne kawai zai iya yanke hukunci kan nau’in magani da tsawon lokacin amfani da shi bisa yanayin mara lafiya.
Haka nan, marasa lafiya da ke da ciwon zuciya, ciwon hanta, ko rashin lafiyar rigakafi sukan buƙaci kulawa ta musamman da dogon lokacin magani. Wani lokaci ana bukatar yin gwajin jini da echocardiogram domin tabbatar da cewa cutar ta gushe gabaɗaya kafin a daina magani.
Rigakafin cutar Q fever
Rigakafin Q fever (vaccine) an haɓaka shi a wasu ƙasashe kamar Australia, inda ake amfani da shi musamman ga mutane masu hulɗa da dabbobi kamar makiyaya, manoma, da likitocin dabbobi. Amma a yawancin ƙasashe masu ƙarancin tattalin arziki; ciki har da Najeriya, ba a yawaita amfani da wannan rigakafin saboda tsada da ƙarancin samuwa. Saboda haka, hanyoyin kariya mafi tasiri sun haɗa da:
- Guje wa hulɗa kai tsaye da kayan haihuwa, jini, ko najasar dabbobin da ake zargin sun kamu da cutar.
- Sanya kayan kariya (gloves, hular fuska, da takalman roba) yayin aikin kiwon dabbobi ko lokacin haihuwar su.
- Tafasa nono sosai kafin sha, domin kwayar Coxiella burnetii tana iya rayuwa a cikin nonon da ba a tafasa ba.
- Tsaftace muhalli da wuraren kiwon dabbobi akai-akai ta amfani da sinadarai masu kashe ƙwayoyin cuta.
- Kula da iska mai zagayawa a wuraren kiwon dabbobi don rage yaduwar ƙwayar cuta ta iska.
- Makiyaya, likitocin dabbobi, ma’aikatan wuraren sarrafa nama su ne ke cikin haɗari mafi girma. Don haka suna buƙatar yin gwaje-gwaje na lokaci-lokaci da bin matakan kariyar da suka dace.
Q Fever a Najeriya
A Najeriya, cutar Q fever ba ta cikin jerin cututtukan da ake sa ido kai tsaye a tsarin lura na ƙasa (national surveillance system), amma binciken kimiyya daga jami’o’i, asibitoci, da cibiyoyin kiwon lafiya ya tabbatar da cewa cutar ta kasance a wasu yankuna na ƙasar.
An gano cewa yawanci ana samun Q fever a jihohin da ke da yawan makiyaya da kiwon dabbobi, musamman a Arewacin Najeriya inda ake yawan kiwon tumaki, awaki, da shanu. Wannan yana da nasaba da yadda cutar ke yaduwa daga dabbobi zuwa mutane ta hanyar iska ko kula da haihuwar dabbobi.
Bincike da aka gudanar a wasu jami’o’i irin su Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, University of Maiduguri, da kuma University of Ibadan, ya nuna alamomin kasancewar ƙwayar Coxiella burnetii a cikin shanu, tumaki, awaki, da kuma a jinin mutane da ke hulɗa da dabbobin nan. Wasu rahotanni sun nuna cewa an sami kusan kashi 6% zuwa 20% na dabbobi da suka nuna alamomin kamuwa da cutar a wasu wurare, wanda ke nuni da cewa Q fever na iya zama cuta mai ɓoya amma tana yaduwa a hankali.
A gefe guda, hukumar daƙile yaɗuwar cututtuka ta Najeriya (NCDC) tana ƙara faɗaɗa tsarin lura da cututtuka masu yaduwa daga dabba zuwa mutum (zoonotic diseases). Cikin wannan tsarin akwai haɗa Q fever a cikin One Health Framework, wanda ke haɗa masana kimiyyar dabbobi, likitoci, da masana muhalli don a fahimci yadda cutar ke shiga tsakanin mutane da dabbobi.
Sai dai saboda ƙarancin kayan gwaji da rashin wayar da kai, ana yawan ɗaukar Q fever a matsayin wata irin cutar mura ko zazzabi na yau da kullum. Wannan na sa da yawa daga cikin masu fama da ita ba sa fahimtar cutar daidai.
Don haka, masana suna ba da shawarar cewa Najeriya ta ƙarfafa bincike da lura da cututtukan zoonotic, ta hanyar samar da kayan gwaji a asibitoci da horar da ma’aikatan lafiya. Haka kuma, a riƙa wayar da kai ga makiyaya, masu kiwon dabbobi, da likitocin dabbobi kan hanyoyin kariya da muhimmancin tsafta wajen mu’amala da dabbobi.
A taƙaice, kodayake Q fever ba ta da shahara sosai a Najeriya, hujjoji na kimiyya sun tabbatar da cewa cutar tana nan, kuma tana iya zama matsalar lafiya a yankunan da ke da yawan kiwon dabbobi; abin da ke bukatar ƙarin kulawa da tsarin lura mai inganci.
Manazarta
Adamu, S. G., Kabir, J., Umoh, J. U., & Raji, M. A. (2018). Prevalence and co-occurrence of Brucella spp. and Coxiella burnetii in cattle, sheep and goats in Maigana and Birnin Gwari agro-ecological zones of Kaduna State, Nigeria (PhD Dissertation, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria). February 2018.
Akporube, K. A. (2023). Q fever, a neglected zoonotic disease in Nigeria: A review. Journal of Small Ruminant and Veterinary Applied Sciences, 4(2), 131-136. July 2023.
Adelakun, O. D., Akande, F. A., Obisesan, O. M., & Cadmus, S. I. (2024, June 30). Serological survey and risk factors for Coxiella burnetii infection among nomadic cattle in Lanlate, South-western Nigeria. Journal of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, 9(3).
Cadmus, S. I., Akporube, K. A., Ola-Daniel, F., Adelakun, O. D., & Akinseye, V. O. (2020). Seroprevalence and associated factors of brucellosis and Q-fever in cattle from Ibarapa area, Oyo State, South-western Nigeria. Pan African Medical Journal, 36.
Elelu, N., Chinedu, N. R., Yakub-Obalowu, B. A., Odetokun, I. A., et al. (2025, January 07). Real-time PCR detection of Coxiella burnetii in dairy products in Kwara State, Nigeria: A public health concern. BMC Veterinary Research, 21, Article 8.
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