Speaker: Dr. Robert L Horvath MBBS (USyd) FRACP FRCPA

Robert Horvath is an Australian based infectious diseases physician at The Prince Charles Hospital (TPCH) in Brisbane, and a Microbiologist at Pathology Queensland.
Q fever is perhaps the most under-diagnosed zoonotic disease,  causing acute illnesses like pneumonia, hepatitis and meningitis, chronic illness like endocarditis and aortitis, a chronic fatigue syndrome with similarities to long covid, and is a well-known cause of miscarriages or premature deliveries in pregnancy. On the basis of sero-prevalence studies, only a miniscule fraction of Q fever is diagnosed acutely.

Q fever was first discovered in Australia 90  years ago but is now known to be a global disease. The prevalence of Q fever in the developing world perhaps dwarfs that of the developed world.  To better understand and manage Q fever, QFIG ( Q Fever interest group) was formed in Australia 5 years ago, and has grown to be an international body, partnering with QUERIES for the world’s most extensive Q fever registry, pioneering international MDTs for complex cases, spearheading improved acute diagnosis with a daily PCR, encouraging research (with pregnancy the first target), and organising international symposiums (one at Byron Bay in 2025 with next planned for Geelong in 2028) to disseminate knowledge and encourage networking to hopefully improve management protocols in the future.

This talk will be an opportunity to hear about a new phase in Q fever history.

Host: Dr. Israel Molina Romero. Head of the Tropical Medicine and International Health Unit. General Hospital Infectious Diseases. Vall d'Hebron University Hospital / Head of group Infectious Diseases. Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR).