The Epidemiology of Coxiella infections in Domestic Animals and Humans in ‎Nigeria: A Review

Abstract

Q fever is a bacterial zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetiiwith global epidemiology. Transmission of the disease in humans is mainly via inhalation of aerosolized bacteria and consumption of contaminated unpasteurized milk, while in animals it is through ingestion of contaminated pasture during grazing by susceptible animals. The disease is usually asymptomatic in animals, but has been implicated in abortion, stillbirths, endometritis, mastitis and infertility. In humans, it manifests as acute and chronic forms with the acute form having signs as self-limiting flu-like syndrome, pneumonia and hepatitis. Diagnosis is mainly through serology using ELISA, CFT, dot immunoblotting, and molecular assay. This study aimed at reviewing the literature to provide relevant information on the epidemiology and risk factors of Coxiella infection in Nigeria. The disease had been reported in all the geopolitical zones of Nigeria and it is said to have no breed, sex and age predisposition. Some of the risk factors identified to play vital roles in the epidemiology of the disease in Nigeria include husbandry and management practices, transboundary transfer of animals, poor hygiene at abattoirs as well as poor knowledge, attitude, and practices by livestock owners and abattoir personnel. It is recommended that there should be public enlightenment along with continuous education of stakeholders in the livestock industry on the significance of the disease.

Q fever, a neglected zoonotic disease in Nigeria- a review

“…burnetii is highly infectious and as a result, specimens must be handled in biosafety level 3 laboratories (Fournier et al, 1998). Samples that can be used for laboratory diagnosis include blood, tissue samples, uterine discharges, aborted foetuses, placenta, milk and urine (Baba et al, 2023). The diagnostic techniques that can be used for Q fever diagnosis are grouped into four categories namely; (i) isolation and propagation of the organism, which requires BSL-3 laboratory using tissue culture, embryonated chicken eggs or laboratory animals; (ii) serodiagnostic tests including Indirect Fluorescent antibody (IFA), Complement fixation test (CFT) and enzyme immunoassay; (iii) antigen detection assay such as immunohistochemical staining (IHC); and (iv) genomic detection assays such as Polymerase chain reaction (PCR).…”

“…To a large extent, the studies that have been carried out on this disease have been mostly in animals and only recently in humans with the first report believed to be by Addo and Schnurenberger (1977). The distribution of the disease in Nigeria is reportedly common in the Northwest, North-east, South-west regions, sparse in North-central and none reported in the South-east and South-south of the country (Baba et al, 2023). Also, almost all of these studies conducted to date have used serological techniques with the most recent being ELISA.…”

Breed and Environmental Effects on Faecal Egg Counts in Sheep of Nigeria

“…This may be associated with pathogenic effects of gastrointestinal parasites. The main features of helminth in ruminants include anaemia, diarrhea and heamorrhagic gastroenteritis which causes protein-loss enteropathy, hypoproteinamia, poor weight gain and low body condition [59,81,82,83]. However, it has been reported that there is no association between BCS and FEC [84].…”