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Q fever vaccinations
The University is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its students and has specific vaccination requirements for some of its courses.
Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in the below courses and units of study offered by the Faculty of Science.
Students in these courses and units of study are at a higher risk of exposure to Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) due to their frequent contact with animals and completion of compulsory learning activities in high-risk environments.
Courses requiring Q fever vaccination
Make sure you understand the census date and other study dates as these factor into the deadlines for getting your Q fever vaccination.
For the following course you will need to be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the course or no later than Week 2 of the enrolled teaching session:
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
For the following courses you will need to be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the course or no later than the census date:
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science
- Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours)
- Bachelor of Wildlife Conservation (Taronga)
- Bachelor of Wildlife Conservation (Taronga) (Honours)
- Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
For the following courses, when you need to be vaccinated against Q fever depends on when you start:
- Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience:
- if you enrol in Semester 1 you will need to be vaccinated before commencing the course or no later than census date
- if you enrol in Semester 2 you will need to be vaccinated before commencing the course or no later that Week 1 of the enrolled teaching session.
- Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Bioscience (Honours):
- if you enrol in Semester 1 you will need to be vaccinated before commencing the course or no later than census date
- if you enrol in Semester 2 you will need to be vaccinated before commencing the course or no later that Week 1 of the enrolled teaching session.
Units of study requiring Q fever vaccination
For the following units of study, you will need to be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the unit or no later than Week 1 of the enrolled teaching session:
- AVBS1002 Animal Management
- AVBS2006 Animal Farming Systems
- AVBS2007 Animal Structure and Function
- AVBS3005 Animal Health and Disease
- AVBS3011 Animal Technologies
- ANSC3102 Animal Reproduction
- ANSC4100 Applied Livestock Systems
- ANSC3100 Aquaculture and Poultry Production
- ANSC3106 Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science
- AVBS4002 Dairy Production and Technology
Understanding Q fever
Q fever is a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans predominantly from cattle, sheep and goats although other animals (such as cats, dogs and wildlife) can be a less frequent source of infection. It is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii, which is shed mostly in the birth products of infected animals but also in faeces, urine, and milk. It can survive for weeks in the air or months to years in soil and dust in the environment and humans acquire the infection usually through inhalation of these contaminated aerosols and dust. Q fever most commonly presents in humans as a flu-like Illness, with some people experiencing severe infection requiring hospital care. Other serious sequelae to infection include endocarditis and a debilitating chronic fatigue syndrome. In some cases, Q fever can be fatal.
Getting your Q fever vaccination
- Being vaccinated involves two appointments with a doctor which must be exactly seven days apart; the first to complete pre-screening tests (a blood test and a skin test), and the second for the vaccination.
- Pre-screening is required in order to check if you have been in contact with Q fever bacteria in the past (to check if you have pre-existing immunity).
- Immunity to Q fever typically develops fifteen days after vaccination.
- Q fever pre-screening and vaccination are only available in Australia. The process takes three weeks to complete.
Learn more about the Q fever vaccination process on the NSW Health website.
If your doctor advises that you cannot receive a Q fever vaccination
Where possible, the faculty will accommodate students who are unable to receive vaccination to Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) to allow them to meet the inherent requirements of their course. Students should understand that these requests are subject to supporting documents (a verifiable medical certificate) and risk assessments which will determine if reasonable adjustments can be implemented (and documented) to control the risk of exposure to any individual unable to receive vaccination. Students will also be required to obtain medical clearance.
In circumstances where the risk of exposure cannot be adequately controlled through appropriate reasonable adjustments which would allow students to meet essential learning outcomes, assessments, or requirements set by professional accrediting bodies, students will be precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally.
Deadlines for Q fever vaccination
- The vaccination deadlines are determined by the start dates of practical activities in the relevant courses or units on this page.
- Students who fail to receive vaccination by the specified deadline and/or submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally.
Finding a vaccinator
Q fever pre-screening and vaccination are available at a reduced rate to students (approximately $200) at:
- University Health Service, Camperdown Campus – Students booking an appointment with the University Health Service must advise that the booking is for Q fever pre-screening and vaccination purposes, and ensure they request an appointment with Dr Susan Willis, who is the only practitioner at the practice who takes Q fever appointments.
- Redfern Station Medical Centre – Visit their website for more information about costs and making appointments for Q fever vaccines.
- You can visit other clinics who offer pre-screening and vaccination but make sure you check on costs first. Some clinics may charge up to $500.
The University does not cover pre-screening and vaccination costs; it is your responsibility to cover these costs.
Other vaccinations
- Ensure that your tetanus vaccination is up to date.
- Consider a Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccine . JEV vaccination is recommended for anyone living in any part of NSW who works with, lives near or is visiting piggeries, including veterinary students and others involved in the care of pigs.
- You can arrange for various vaccinations through the University Health Service.
For further details about vaccinations, the Australian Immunisation Handbook has information for people who have regular contact with animals.
Q fever Vaccination Declaration
You'll need to submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration upon enrolment. This involves providing your vaccination information to the University, and helps the University monitor compliance with vaccination requirements and implement risk mitigation strategies to protect individuals who cannot receive vaccination.
Evidence of vaccination
As a student of the courses or units of study outlined on this page, it is a requirement that you always carry a copy of your vaccination evidence to show to teaching staff upon request. Students who fail to present vaccination evidence upon request are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally.
The following can be presented as evidence of Q fever vaccination:
- A digital/physical immunisation certificate from Medicare or the Australian Immunisation Health Register. Information on how to obtain immunisation history statements can be found on the Services Australia website.
A digital/physical medical certificate issued by the Australian medical practitioner (registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency AHPRA) that completed the pre-screening and vaccination(s) process.
The certificate must include the:
- practitioner’s name, contact details, provider or registration number and signature
- vaccination name/type
- date of pre-screening
- date of vaccination
- date the certificate was written and signed.
Last updated: 03 December 2024
