الفهرس 
cover englishOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 142 |  |  |
| | | from | 142 | | |
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is a Gram negative small polymorphic bacillus that causes Q fever infection in human and livestock animals. Scarcely data is available on C. burnetii diagnosis in cattle, buffaloes, in Egypt; therefore the objective of this study was to investigate seroprevalence of C. burnetii anti bodies and detection of C. burnetii DNA in seropositive raw milk and sera samples which is a considerable route of the disease transmission.
Total of 314 serum and 282 milk samples were collected from 546 cows, and 50 buffaloes located in Assuit, Bani-Swif, Dakahlya, Fayoum, Giza, and Minya Governorates throughout 2015 to 2017. Animal reproductive status was recorded. Anti-bodies against C. burnetii phase II antigen were detected using Immuno-Fluorescent Antibody assay (IFA). Moreover, seropositive samples were subjected to RT- qPCR with specific primers targeting the single copy gene (icd) and IS1111 repeate.
Overall seroprevalence of C. burnetii Abs was 31.5% (188/596). Considering sample type, IgG positive exceeds that of IgM in both sera and milk. IgG seroprevalence was significantly higher in serum (25.5%) than in milk (14.2%). In addition, within serum, IgG was significantly higher than IgM (12.1%). Regarding animal species, seroprevalence in cows (20.9%) was higher than in buffaloes (12.0%). IgG seroprevalence of cows was significantly higher in serum (26.0%) than milk (14.8%). In addition, within serum, seropositive IgG was significantly higher than IgM (12.5%). In buffaloes no significant difference was observed between IgG and IgM, neither in sera nor in milk. RT-qPCR targeting icd and S1111 genes confirmed the detection of C. burnetii DNA in 6 milk (8.6%) and 2 serum samples (1.7%).
In conclusion, results revealed distribution of Q fever infection across six different Governorates in Egypt.