Which statement is not true about Coxiella burnetii?

Which statement is not true about Coxiella burnetii?

• A. It is transmitted from animals to humans by inhalation.
• B. It is an obligate intracellular parasite.
• C. It is the etiologic agent of Q fever, which may be acute or chronic.
• D. A rash appears first on the extremities and then on the trunk.

Answer: (D)

Coxiella burnetii causes Q fever, which is classically transmitted to humans by inhalation of aerosols from infected animals, especially birthing fluids from cattle, sheep, or goats. It is an obligate intracellular parasite, meaning it replicates inside host cells, which is a hallmark that makes it harder to culture and study. The disease can present in an acute form with febrile, flu‑like illness, sometimes pneumonia or hepatitis, and it can also become chronic, most notably as endocarditis in people with preexisting heart valve disease.

A rash is not a characteristic feature of Q fever. If a rash occurs at all, it is not a defining or typical pattern for Coxiella burnetii infection. The description of a rash that begins on the extremities and then spreads to the trunk is more aligned with certain other rickettsial diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, rather than Q fever.

So the statements about inhalational transmission, obligate intracellular lifestyle, and the potential for acute or chronic Q fever are accurate, while the described rash pattern does not fit Coxiella burnetii infection.