Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in clinically healthy German sheep flocks.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Current epidemiological data on the situation of Coxiella (C.) burnetii infections in sheep are missing, making risk assessment and the implementation of counteractive measures difficult. Using the German state of Thuringia as a model example, the estimated sero-, and antigen prevalence of C. burnetii (10% and 25%, respectively) was assessed at flock level in 39/252 randomly selected clinically healthy sheep flocks with more than 100 ewes and unknown abortion rate.

RESULTS:

The CHECKIT™ Q-fever Test Kit identified 11 (28%) antibody positive herds, whereas real-time PCR revealed the presence of C. burnetii DNA in 2 (5%) of the flocks. Multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeats analysis of 9 isolates obtained from one flock revealed identical profiles. All isolates contained the plasmid QpH1.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results demonstrate that C. burnetii is present in clinically inconspicuous sheep flocks and sporadic flare-ups do occur as the notifications to the German animal disease reporting system show. Although C. burnetii infections are not a primary veterinary concern due to the lack of significant clinical impact on animal health (with the exception of goats), the eminent zoonotic risk for humans should not be underestimated. Therefore, strategies combining the interests of public and veterinary public health should include monitoring of flocks, the identification and culling of shedders as well as the administration of protective vaccines.

• Authors: Angela Hilbert, Gernot Schmoock, Hannah Lenzko, Udo Moog, Roland Diller, Andreas Fröhlich, Lothar Hoffmann, Steffen Horner, Michael Elschner, Herbert Tomaso, Klaus Henning, Heinrich Neubauer, Lisa D Sprague
• Journal: BMC research notes (BMC Res Notes) Vol. 5 Pg. 152 (Mar 19 2012) ISSN: 1756-0500 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22429653 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antigens, Bacterial
• DNA, Viral

Topics

• Abortion, Veterinary (epidemiology, microbiology)
• Animals
• Antigens, Bacterial (blood, immunology)
• Coxiella burnetii (genetics, immunology, physiology)
• DNA, Viral (genetics)
• Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
• Female
• Germany (epidemiology)
• Host-Pathogen Interactions
• Humans
• Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Pregnancy
• Pregnancy Complications, Infectious (blood, epidemiology, microbiology, veterinary)
• Prevalence
• Q Fever (blood, epidemiology, veterinary)
• Risk Assessment
• Risk Factors
• Sheep
• Sheep Diseases (blood, epidemiology, microbiology)
• Zoonoses (microbiology)