During an outbreak of Q fever in Germany, we identified an infected sheep flock from which animals were routinely used as a source for life cell therapy (LCT), the injection of fetal cells or cell extracts from sheep into humans. Q fever developed in 7 LCT recipients from Canada, Germany, and the United States.
Keywords: Canada; Coxiella burnetii; Germany; Q fever; bacteria; fetal tissue; inhalation exposure; intramuscular injection; live cell therapy; occupational exposure; outbreaks; risk factor; sheep; zoonoses.