The pathology of Q fever as seen on liver biopsy.

Granulomatous inflammation was seen in liver biopsy specimens from five patients with Q fever. All patients had a fever of unknown origin with mild abnormalities of liver function. The granulomatous process in the liver was very distinctive, with fibrinoid ring formation seen in four of the five cases. A diagnosis of Q fever was suggested in the five cases on the basis of the characteristic granulomatous inflammation. Results of subsequent complement fixation tests were positive in all five patients.