The Liver Lesion in Q Fever

Abstract

WE HAVE STUDIED two patients with a febrile illness whose clinical features resembled those of a primary disorder of the liver. One had frank jaundice; both had splenomegaly. We believe a report of these cases will be of general interest because each patient had serologic evidence of Q fever and each had a characteristic alteration of liver histology. In reviewing the literature on hepatic involvement in Q fever, we noted that reports by Gerstl et al,¹Picchi et al,²Powell,³and Gallaher⁴mention lesions of the liver similar to those observed in our two patients. Of clinical interest is the observation that some patients with Q fever have symptoms and findings referable to the liver without any discernible disease of the lungs. <h3>Report of Cases</h3><h3>Case 1.</h3> —A 41-year-old white woman was admitted to the Los Angeles County Hospital on Feb 2, 1960, because of fever and jaundice. In the