Shedding and genetic diversity of Coxiella burnetii in Polish dairy cattle

PLoS One. 2019 Jan 10;14(1):e0210244. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210244. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic disease reported in humans and many animal species including cattle. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of Coxiella (C.) burnetii shedding in Polish dairy cattle herds and to identify the pathogen's genotypes and sequence types (STs) using multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and multispacer sequence typing (MST) methods. The presence of C. burnetii DNA was detected using a commercial real-time PCR kit, targeting the IS1111 element. Overall, 1,439 samples from 279 herds were tested including: 897 individual milk specimens, 101 bulk tank milk samples, 409 genital tract swabs and 32 placentas. Furthermore, 30 consumer milk samples, including 10 from vending machines and 77 dairy products were also analyzed. C. burnetii shedding was confirmed in 31.54% of tested cattle herds as well as in 69.16% of consumer milk and dairy products. Among real-time PCR-positive samples, 49 specimens obtained from 49 cattle herds and 8 samples of purchased dairy products were selected for genotyping. Overall, five previously known MLVA genotypes (I, J, BG, BE, and NM) and three new ones (proposed as PL1, PL2, and PL3) were identified. Two MST sequence types were recorded: ST16 and a novel sequence (ST61). The new genotypes and sequence types need further research particularly into their pathogenicity to humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cattle Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cattle Diseases / microbiology*
  • Cattle Diseases / transmission
  • Coxiella burnetii / genetics*
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genotype
  • Milk / microbiology
  • Poland / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Q Fever / epidemiology
  • Q Fever / transmission
  • Q Fever / veterinary*
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Grants and funding

This scientific work was funded by the National Science Centre, Poland (Grant No. 2015/17/D/NZ7/00816, SONATA 9) https://ncn.gov.pl/. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.