Query (Q) fever is an ubiquitous zoonosis caused by
Coxiella burnetii
. The
present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of
C. b
urnetii
in
apparent
ly healthy sheep, goats and farm workers. Raw milk and serum
samples were randomly collected from 200 sheep, goat
s (100 of each) and
30 farm workers from Qaluobia governorate, Egypt during
2014/2015. The
milk and serum samples were inves
tigated for IgG antibodies against
C.
burnetii
phase II antigen by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT).
The seropositive samples were confirmed by touch –
down PCR
with specific
primers
which
amplify transposon
-like region of
C. burnetti
. The re
sults
showed that antibodies against
C. burnetii
in sheep
raw milk and sera were
17%
and
23% respectively, in
goat
raw milk and sera were 19%
and
27%
respectively
and
in
human
was 23.3%
. PCR targeting IS
1111
gene confirmed
the presence of
C. burnetti
DNA
in sheep
and goats
raw milk and sera
were
82.4%, 89.5%, 91.3%
and
85.2%
respectively
and
in
farm workers
was
57.1%
.
The
se
results proved that the
apparently healthy
sheep and goats are
an important reservoir of
C.burnetii
infection
. The farm workers
cons
titute
an occupational risk group for
C. burnetii
infection, for their contact with
infected livestock