Coxiella burnetiiSeroprevalence and Risk for Humans on Dairy Cattle Farms, the Netherlands, 2010–2011

Abstract

Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a recognized occupational infection in persons who have regular contact with ruminants. We determined C. burnetii seroprevalence in residents living or working on dairy cattle farms with >50 adult cows and identified risk factors for seropositivity. Serum samples from farm residents, including employees, were tested for C. burnetii IgG and IgM; seroprevalence was 72.1% overall and 87.2%, 54.5%, and 44.2% among farmers, spouses, and children, respectively. Risk factors included farm location in southern region, larger herd size, farm employment, birds in stable, contact with pigs, and indirect contact with rats or mice. Protective factors included automatic milking of cows and fully compliant use of gloves during and around calving. We recommend strengthening general biosecurity measures, such as consistent use of personal protective equipment (e.g., boots, clothing, gloves) by farm staff and avoidance of birds and vermin in stables.

Seroepidemiology of Q fever in one-humped camel population in northeast Iran

“…Since our sampling was mainly performed in rural areas, poor hygiene could exacerbate the spread of Coxiella burnetii (Luoto 1960;Lyytikäinen et al 1998). It appears that the camel is likely to harbor high levels of Coxiella burnetii and capable of shedding the bacterium through milk, blood, feces, and urine and especially in birth by-products (Arricau-Bouvery and Rodolakis 2005;TissotDupont et al 2007;Schimmer et al 2010;Bielawska-Drózd et al 2013;Tozer et al 2013;Mohammed et al 2014;Schimmer et al 2014;O'Connor et al 2015;Pimenta et al 2015;Moffatt et al 2015;Nusinovici et al 2015;van den Brom et al 2015). Environment contamination of Coxiella burnetii events lasts for months and even years; so, inhalation of dust (aerosol contamination) is also very critical for farm animals and public health.…”

“…Coxiella burnetii infection might be the cause of abortion, stillbirth, low birth weight, infertility, and heart failure in cattle, sheep, and goat (Marrie et al 1996), leading to economic loss and public health risk. Infected animals and humans shed the bacterium through urogenital, gastrointestinal tracts and milk; it also notoriously spreads through inhalation of infected aerosol (Arricau-Bouvery and Rodolakis 2005;Tissot-Dupont et al 2007;Schimmer et al 2010;Tozer et al 2013;Schimmer et al 2014;O'Connor et al 2015;Nusinovici et al 2015;van den Brom et al 2015), widening its transmission routs (i.e., aerosols, milk, and dairy products) and thus Q fever outbreak in rural and urban area.…”

Occurrence and Genotyping of Coxiella burnetii in Ixodid Ticks in Oromia, Ethiopia

“…49 Furthermore, several previous studies linked higher populations of ruminants with outbreaks of Q fever in humans in several countries around the world. 50,51 For the first time in Ethiopia, this study provides new information on the presence of two different genotypes of C. burnetii in ticks, MST 18 in ticks from animals in the Borana zone, and MST 20 in ticks from animals in the central districts. This finding is in line with previous reports of several genotypes of C. burnetii in ticks.…”

Coxiella burnetii(Q Fever) Infection in Farmed Ruminants in Three Northeastern Provinces and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China

“…Humans are infected primarily by inhaling an aerosol contaminated with material from the urine or feces of infected animals (Esmaeili et al 2014, Schimmer et al 2014. People engaged in livestock breeding have a particularly high seroprevalence (Guatteo et al 2011, Klaasen et al 2014.…”