Browsing by Subject "Q fever"

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    Controlling Coxiella burnetii in naturally infected sheep, goats and cows, and public health implications: a scoping review
    (Agricultural Research Service (USDA), 2024-02-15) Toledo Perona, Raquel; Contreras de Vera, Antonio; Gomis, Jesús; Quereda, Juan José; García Galán, Ana; Sánchez, Antonio; Gómez Martín, Ángel; Sanidad Animal
    Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic disease which domestic ruminants are the main source of infection for humans. This scoping review summarizes the control measures currently available to reduce Coxiella burnetii (Cb) infection in naturally infected sheep, goat and cattle herds. A total of 28 articles were included in the review. A lack of methodological standardization was noted in the articles analyzed. The results indicated that long-term vaccination in cows reduces bacterial excretion in milk and environmental contamination. In small ruminants, the results of vaccination in terms of efficacy are variable. In goats, there is a reduction in bacterial excretion, unlike in sheep, where a long-term vaccination program is necessary to reduce bacterial excretion. Moreover, the high persistence of viable Cb in the environment means that control measures for sheep are needed for several years. The use of antibiotics as a control measure in cows and sheep was not found to reduce excretion. However, the combination of vaccination with antibiotic therapy appears to have positive effects in small ruminants in terms of controlling outbreaks of Q fever. Hygiene and biosecurity measures are the basic means for controlling Cb infection on ruminant farms and ensuring public health.
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    Metabarcoding analysis of the microbiota in flocks naturally infected by Coxiella burnetii: First description of the global microbiota in domestic small ruminants
    (Elsevier, 2025-06) Contreras de Vera, Antonio; Sanidad Animal
    This study investigates Q fever in sheep and goats, key reservoirs for human infection, by metabarcoding and comparing it with q-PCR and serology. Samples from 26 small ruminant (aborted and normal-delivery) and six males across three Q fever-affected herds were analyzed. In sheep herds, seropositivity was 50 and 80% respectively, with Coxiella (C.) burnetii shedding detected vaginally in the second herd. In goats, 100% seropositivity and 90% C. burnetii detection were observed, with nasal and vaginal samples showing the highest detection rates. Metabarcoding revealed significant differences in alpha diversity, with greater richness in blood and evenness in milk from normal-delivery sheep and higher evenness in faeces from aborted sheep. Beta diversity showed richer and distinct vaginal microbiota in normal-delivery females compared to aborted ones. Firmicutes was the most abundant phylum observed.Dominant genera included: Moraxella (nasal); Mycoplasma, (blood); Streptococcus (milk); Ureaplasma (vaginal and preputial); Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group (faeces). Significant differences in bacterial composition, including infertility-linked vaginal pathogens, were found across female’s groups in all herds in the anatomical locations studied, revealing new species and tropisms. Moreover, taxonomic analysis identified C. burnetii in vaginal, milk and environmental samples. This first report of C. burnetii in the caprine nasal cavity suggests an underestimated tropism and may improve Q fever diagnosis. These findings underscore the need for herd-wide Q fever control measures, including males and normal-delivery females. Our findings contribute to new insights into the pathogen’s impact on small ruminant microbiota and a novel approach to studying infectious diseases in this sector.