Molecular Epidemiology of<i>Coxiella burnetii</i>from Ruminants in Q Fever Outbreak, the Netherlands

Roest, H.I.J.; Ruuls, Robin; Tilburg, Jeroen J. H. C.; Nabuurs-Franssen, Marrigje H.; Klaassen, Corné H. W.; Vellema, P.; Brom, René van den; Dercksen, D.; Wouda, W.; Spierenburg, Marcel; Spek, Arco N. van der; Buijs, Rob; Boer, A.G. de; Willemsen, P.T.J.; Zijderveld, F.G. van

doi:10.3201/eid1704.101562

Cited by 158 publications

(155 citation statements)

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“…These genotypes differed dramatically, mainly in three markers (Ms23, Ms26, and Ms33), from those documented in animal and human samples in previous MLVA studies carried out in Europe (32,(40)(41)(42)(43)(44). The fact that within-individual genotype diversity was observed for three females suggests that coinfection may occur.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Circulation of Coxiella burnetii in a Naturally Infected Flock of Dairy Sheep: Shedding Dynamics, Environmental Contamination, and Genotype Diversity

Joulié

Laroucau

Bailly

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii. Domestic ruminants are considered to be the main reservoir. Sheep, in particular, may frequently cause outbreaks in humans. Because within-flock circulation data are essential to implementing optimal management strategies, we performed a follow-up study of a naturally infected flock of dairy sheep. We aimed to (i) describe C. burnetii shedding dynamics by sampling vaginal mucus, feces, and milk, (ii) assess circulating strain diversity, and (iii) quantify barn environmental contamination. For 8 months, we sampled vaginal mucus and feces every 3 weeks from aborting and nonaborting ewes (n ‫؍‬ 11 and n ‫؍‬ 26, respectively); for lactating females, milk was obtained as well. We also sampled vaginal mucus from nine ewe lambs. Dust and air samples were collected every 3 and 6 weeks, respectively. All samples were screened using real-time PCR, and strongly positive samples were further analyzed using quantitative PCR. Vaginal and fecal samples with sufficient bacterial burdens were then genotyped by multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) using 17 markers. C. burnetii burdens were higher in vaginal mucus and feces than in milk, and they peaked in the first 3 weeks postabortion or postpartum. Primiparous females and aborting females tended to shed C. burnetii longer and have higher bacterial burdens than nonaborting and multiparous females. Six genotype clusters were identified; they were independent of abortion status, and within-individual genotype diversity was observed. C. burnetii was also detected in air and dust samples. Further studies should determine whether the within-flock circulation dynamics observed here are generalizable.Q fever is a widespread zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, a Gram-negative intracellular bacterium that has been reported in a broad range of host species. Livestock, especially small ruminants, are the main sources of human infections (1-3). In domestic ruminants, Q fever's major clinical manifestations are abortions and stillbirths, whose occurrence may translate into significant economic losses (1, 3). In humans, C. burnetii infections range from asymptomatic to severe. Acute forms of the disease may result in high fevers and severe pneumonia or hepatitis, and chronic forms are strongly debilitating and may be fatal when endocarditis develops in patients with underlying heart disease (4-6).Animals and humans become infected essentially through the inhalation of airborne particles contaminated with C. burnetii (3,7,8). Contaminated dust particles may remain infectious for long periods of time due to the capacity of the bacterium to differentiate into highly resistant spore-like forms (9, 10). Consequently, knowledge of C. burnetii's sources and shedding dynamics is essential to assessing the risks of disease transmission and pathogen persistence. On livestock farms, C. burnetii DNA has been found in various environmental matrices, such as dust (11-13) and aerosols (14-16). However, studies that examin...

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 65%

Circulation of Coxiella burnetii in a Naturally Infected Flock of Dairy Sheep: Shedding Dynamics, Environmental Contamination, and Genotype Diversity

Joulié

Laroucau

Bailly

et al. 2015

Appl Environ Microbiol

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“…Due to the limited information available, we were unable to determine any association of breed and goat type (meat or dairy) with seropositivity for C. burnetii. Finally, the variation in within-herd seroprevalence among herds in this study may be due to other factors such as differences in the transmissibility phenotype of a specific C. burnetii strain genotype circulating on some farms (Roest et al 2011b). …”

Section: Fig 2 Map Of 39 Counties In Washington State Eight Countimentioning

confidence: 99%

Seroprevalence ofCoxiella burnetiiin Washington State Domestic Goat Herds

Sondgeroth

Davis

Schlee

et al. 2013

Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

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A caprine herd seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii infection was determined by passive surveillance of domestic goat herds in Washington State. Serum samples (n = 1794) from 105 herds in 31 counties were analyzed for C. burnetii antibodies using a commercially available Q fever antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test kit. The sera were submitted to the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for routine serologic screening over an approximate 1-year period from November, 2010, through November, 2011. To avoid bias introduced by testing samples from ill animals, only accessions for routine screening of nonclinical animals were included in the study. A standard cluster sampling approach to investigate seroprevalence at the herd level was used to determine optimal study sample size. The results identified C. burnetii antibodies in 8.0% of samples tested (144/1794), 8.6% of goat herds tested (9/105), and 25.8% of counties tested (8/31). Within-herd seroprevalence in positive counties ranged from 2.9% to 75.8%. Counties with seropositive goats were represented in the western, eastern, southeastern, and Columbia basin agricultural districts of the state. To our knowledge this is the first county-specific, statewide study of C. burnetii seroprevalence in Washington State goat herds. The findings provide baseline information for future epidemiologic, herd management and public health investigations of Q fever.

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“…Because of its stability in the environment and the potential for aerosol dispersion, these results indicated the possibility of an increase in goat-associated C. burnetii infections in humans and animals in the City of Itaboraí and its surroundings. Furthermore, as demonstrated by the large outbreaks of Q fever in humans that have been recently described in Europe, where sheep and goats are considered to be the major sources of human exposure to C. burnetii 3 , the possibility exists that goats were, in fact, the source of the C. burnetii infection in the Itaboraí municipality. Finally, because Q fever is not a notifi able disease and many human cases could have been misdiagnosed as some other infection, the public health impact of C. burnetii infection will be not understood until suitable epidemiologic surveillance is effectively employed in Brazil.…”

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confidence: 99%

Molecular identification of the agent of Q fever – Coxiella burnetii – in domestic animals in State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mares-Guia

Rozental

Guterres

et al. 2014

Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop.

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Introduction:Over the last recent years, the number of Q fever cases have has increased throughout the world. An epidemiological investigation was performed in the area in which the fi rst molecular documentation of Q fever in Brazil was previously reported. Methods: Indirect immunofl uorescence assay (IFA) and PCR of Coxiella burnetii targeting the htpAB gene were performed in samples from 14 dogs (blood); 1 cat (blood); 10 goats (blood, milk, vaginal swab and anal swab); 3 sheep (blood); and 2 horses (blood). Results: Two dogs, two sheep and fi ve goats were seroreactive. DNA was amplifi ed from 6 milk and 2 blood samples from goats and from dogs, respectively. The sequence of the amplicons exhibited 99% sequence similarity with the homologous sequence of the htpAB gene of C. burnetii RSA 331 (GenBank -CP000890). Conclusions: The results confi rm C. burnetii infection in animals in Rio de Janeiro and reinforce the need for the surveillance of Q fever in Brazil.

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Molecular Epidemiology ofCoxiella burnetiifrom Ruminants in Q Fever Outbreak, the Netherlands

Cited by 158 publications

References 21 publications

Circulation of Coxiella burnetii in a Naturally Infected Flock of Dairy Sheep: Shedding Dynamics, Environmental Contamination, and Genotype Diversity

Circulation of Coxiella burnetii in a Naturally Infected Flock of Dairy Sheep: Shedding Dynamics, Environmental Contamination, and Genotype Diversity

Seroprevalence ofCoxiella burnetiiin Washington State Domestic Goat Herds

Molecular identification of the agent of Q fever – Coxiella burnetii – in domestic animals in State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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