Coxiella burnetii is the pathogenic agent of Q fever, a zoonosis that occurs worldwide. In China, the organism infects people and a wide range of wild and farmed animals. However, little is known about C. burnetii infection in farmed ruminants in northeastern China, and there appears to have been no previous study on sika deer. The present study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of C. burnetii in farmed ruminants in this region of China. A total of 3147 domestic ruminants (784 sheep, 1016 cattle, and 1347 sika deer) were randomly collected for this study. An indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit was used to detect the antibodies to C. burnetii. The results showed an overall seroprevalence of 16.7% in domestic ruminants (24.9%, 13.5%, and 12.3% in cattle, sheep, and sika deer, respectively). This is the first report of C. burnetii seroprevalence in sika deer in China. Protective and hygiene measures should be applied in farm management to reduce the risk of exposure of C. burnetii to humans.
Keywords: China; Coxiella burnetii; Farmed ruminants; Seroprevalence.