Investigation of Coxiella burnetii Prevalence in Women Who Had Miscarriage and Their Spouses by Serological and Molecular Methods

Eyigör, Mete; Gültekin, Berna; Telli, Murat; Odabaşı, Ali Rıza; Yüksel, Hasan; Sezer, Selda Demırcan; Aydın, Neriman

doi:10.5578/mb.4543

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Several studies have investigated the prevalence of C. burnetii in abortion samples from pregnant women using molecular methods. One study conducted in Turkey on 51 placental samples found no detection of C. burnetii [ 35 ]. Similarly, a study in France on 246 placenta samples also reported no infection with this pathogen [ 36 ], which is consistent with our findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many studies have focused on the prevalence of Q fever in pregnant women using serological methods. In two separate studies conducted in Turkey, the seroprevalence of Q fever among pregnant women was found to be 20.7% and 14%, respectively [ 35 , 39 ]. In Iran, the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection in pregnant women was found to be 22% in the southwest (Ahvaz City) and 36.5% in the north (Parsabad City).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Molecular examination for Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp. infections in Iranian women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage

Baseri,

Omidi,

Latifian

et al. 2024

BMC Infect Dis

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Background Spontaneous miscarriage, a leading health concern globally, often occurs due to various factors, including infections. Among these, Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp. may have adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes. While previous research has established a link between infections and spontaneous miscarriage, our study aimed specifically to investigate the presence of these two pathogens in abortion samples from women who experienced spontaneous miscarriages in Iran. Our study can add to the existing knowledge by focusing on Iran, a region with a high prevalence of C. burnetii and Brucella spp. As a result, it could provide a better understanding and unique insights into the relationship of these pathogens with spontaneous miscarriages in endemic regions. Methods From March 2021 to March 2022, a total of 728 abortion samples (including placenta and cotyledon) were collected from 409 women who had experienced spontaneous miscarriages in the provinces of Tehran, Fars, and West Azerbaijan in Iran. The specimens included 467 Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) and 261 fresh frozen samples. After DNA extraction from abortion samples, the quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay targeted a specific fragment of the IS1111 and IS711 elements for molecular identification of C. burnetii and Brucella spp., respectively. Furthermore, the qPCR assay employing specific primers for different species was used to determine the species of Brucella. Results Among the studied women, 1 out of 409 (0.24%) samples tested positive for Brucella spp., specifically Brucella melitensis. There were no positive specimens for C. burnetii. Conclusions Our study contributes to understanding the potential involvement of Brucella species in spontaneous infectious abortion within endemic regions. The identification of B. melitensis in this study highlights the need for further research in this area. However, while our results suggest a relatively low or zero identification of these pathogens in our sample population, this does not rule out the possibility of undetected infections. Therefore, it is critical to acknowledge the limitations of the molecular techniques used (qPCR), which may have potential limitations such as sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, because 64.15% of our samples were FFPE, the sensitivity of the qPCR test may be reduced. These raise concerns about the accuracy of the reported prevalence rates and the potential for false positives or negatives.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular examination for Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp. infections in Iranian women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage

Baseri,

Omidi,

Latifian

et al. 2024

BMC Infect Dis

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Q fever during pregnancy: a narrative review

Ghanem-Zoubi

Paul

2020

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

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Background: Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, causes abortions in animals. Its effects on pregnancy in humans and the management of Q fever in pregnancy are uncertain. Objectives: To summarize data on the effects of Q fever on pregnancy in women, the effects of pregnancy on Q fever complications and the optimal screening and management of Q fever during pregnancy. Sources: We searched for studies reporting on Q fever during pregnancy in women. We included randomized and observational studies, seroprevalence studies, case series and case reports, including clinical and histopathological studies. Content: The accumulating data seems convincing that Q fever increases the risk of abortions in early pregnancy and prematurity or intrauterine fetal demise in late pregnancy. Data are based on seroepidemiological associations of Q fever and adverse pregnancy outcomes and case reports showing the presence and effects of C. burnetii on the placenta and the fetus. Based on observational studies, acquisition of Q fever during pregnancy also increases the risk for maternal chronic Q fever. Treatment of recently infected women seems to improve these outcomes, based on case series only, but the optimal duration of treatment has not been studied. The efficacy of active surveillance during pregnancy, timing and frequency have not been determined in high-endemicity settings. Obstetricians should be aware of the risk for transmission of the disease during delivery. Currently available data are based mostly on case series and case reports, with some discrepancy between the French experience in chronic endemicity settings and Dutch experience in outbreak settings. Implications: Since infection with Q fever is largely asymptomatic, we believe that the accumulating information linking Q fever to adverse pregnancy outcomes justifies screening in the high-endemicity setting and treatment of infected women. High-quality research addressing the questions raised by this review is needed to determine the optimal public health policy.

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Investigation of Coxiella burnetii Prevalence in Women Who Had Miscarriage and Their Spouses by Serological and Molecular Methods

Cited by 2 publications

References 20 publications

Molecular examination for Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp. infections in Iranian women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage

Molecular examination for Coxiella burnetii and Brucella spp. infections in Iranian women experiencing spontaneous miscarriage

Q fever during pregnancy: a narrative review

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