الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Q fever is a zoonosis with a worldwide distribution, caused by Coxiella burnetii, a strictly intracellular, gram-negative bacterium. This study was carried out to determine occurrence of Q fever among farm animals and humans in Ismailia governorate and factors that may be associated with its occurrence. This is the first study undertaken in Ismailia governorate showing the occurrence of Q fever among farm animals and humans. All animal and human serum specimens were examined using ELISA. EDTA blood samples of humans and animals were examined using PCR assay. In addition milk samples randomly collected from dairy animals were also examined using PCR assay. Out of 366 animals serum samples examined from animals (92 cattle, 92 buffaloes, 91 sheep and 91 goat), the overall seroprevalence of C. burnetii was 10.1% with species variation of 9.8% in cattle, 2.2% in buffaloes, 12.1% in sheep and 16.5% in goats. Out of 9 cattle farms examined, 6 (66.7%) showing at least one seropositive animal. The highest occurrence was observed in El Salehia (33.3%) and El Dabaiea (20%) followed by Fayed, Abo Soweer (12.5%) for each of them, while the lowest occurrence was in El Manaeif (8.3%). No C. burnetii antibodies were detected from the examined animals in El-Tall El-Kabeer or Wadi El-Eshra areas. from the examined 8 buffaloe farms in different localities in the study area only two animals belonging to one herd (1/8, 12.5%) in a farm in El Manaeif had C. burnetii antibodies at a rate of (4.3%). All individual cases of cattle or buffaloes that had been collected from Ismailia veterinary clinics were C. burnetii seronegative. |