Serological and Molecular Investigation of Coxiella burnetii in Small Ruminants and Ticks in Punjab, Pakistan

Qudrat Ullah, Hosny El-Adawy, Tariq Jamil, Huma Jamil, Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, Muhammad Saqib, Shakeeb Ullah, Muhammad Kamal Shah, Alam Zeb Khan, Muhammad Zubair, Iahtasham Khan, Katja Mertens-Scholz, Klaus Henning and Heinrich Neubauer
Additional contact information
Qudrat Ullah: Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
Hosny El-Adawy: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany
Tariq Jamil: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany
Huma Jamil: Department of Theriogenology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Zafar Iqbal Qureshi: Department of Theriogenology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Muhammad Saqib: Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
Shakeeb Ullah: Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
Muhammad Kamal Shah: Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
Alam Zeb Khan: Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
Muhammad Zubair: Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Azad Kashmir 12350, Pakistan
Iahtasham Khan: Section of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, sub-campus Jhang, Jhang 35200, Pakistan
Katja Mertens-Scholz: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany
Klaus Henning: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany
Heinrich Neubauer: Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, 07743 Jena, Germany

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-11

Abstract: Coxiellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii affecting the productive and reproductive capabilities of animals. This study was conducted to gain insight into the seroprevalence of coxiellosis in small ruminants in seven farms of the Punjab, Pakistan. Potential risk factors were assessed. In total, 1000 serum samples (500 from sheep and 500 from goats) and 163 ticks were collected from the ruminants. All these 163 ticks were merged into 55 pools (29 pools for ticks from sheep and 26 pools for ticks from goat). Serum samples were investigated using an indirect ELISA and PCR. Coxiella burnetii DNA was detected in 29 pooled seropositive samples and 11 pooled ticks by real-time qPCR. Serological analysis revealed a prevalence of 15.6% and 15.0% in sheep and goats, respectively. A significant association was found between seropositivity and different variables like district, lactational status, reproductive status, body condition and reproductive disorders. Univariate analysis showed that detection of C. burnetii DNA in tick pools was significantly associated with the presence of ticks on sheep and goats. However, a non-significant association was found for the prevalence of C. burnetii DNA in serum pools. Hence, C. burnetii infection is prevalent in small ruminants and ticks maintained at livestock farms in Punjab, Pakistan.

Keywords: Coxiella burnetii; Q Fever; small ruminants; ELISA; PCR; ticks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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