Serological Survey and Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Dairy Cattle of Ahvaz by ELISA and PCR

Q fever is a widespread zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii. Domestic animals are the most important reservoirs of C. burnetii, which is exerted in the milk, urine, feces and reproductive discharge of infected animals. Inhalation of bacteria is the main route of animal and human infection. The aim of this study was to survey prevalence of C. burnetii in serum and milk of referred cows to veterinary hospital of Shahid Chamran university and correlation of this organism with host and management determinants. Milk and serum samples from 86 cows were collected and were examined by PCR and ELISA assay, respectively. Prevalence of Q fever in milk and serum samples was 4.65% and 3.49%, respectively. Logistic regression showed that the odds of infection was increased with increase of age (OR: 1.17 and 95% CI: 0.89-1.52, P>0.05) and 3.4% of fluctuation of infection was justified by age. Odds of infection in industrial husbandry than traditional was 2.81(95% CI: 0.53-15.02, P>0.05) and 4.1% of fluctuation of infection was justified by husbandry. 3.8% of fluctuation of infection was justified by fertility status and odds of infection in cows with infertility than healthy was 3.16 (95% CI: 0.35-28.37, P>0.05). The result showed excretion of C. burnetii in milk and the fact that bacteria is in correlation with infertility in cows. Thus efforts must be taken to control and prevent Q- fever.