Due to the high resilience in the environment of Coxiella, humans are most often infected by inhalation of aerosols produced in contaminated locations, but other modes of infection have been documented (including food-borne).
Et bakter Coxiella talub mitmesuguseid keskkonnatingimusi, nakatuvad inimesed kõige sagedamini saastunud kohtades aerosoole sisse hingates, kuid on andmeid ka muudest nakatumisviisidest (sealhulgas toidu kaudu).