Seropositivity to Coxiella burnetii in primiparous and multiparous ewes from southern Australia: A cross-sectional study

Tom Clune; Amy Lockwood; Serina Hancock; Andrew N Thompson; Sue Beetson; Mieghan Bruce; Angus J Campbell; Elsa Glanville; Daniel Brookes; Colin Trengove; Ryan O'Handley; Caroline Jacobson

doi:10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101727

Seropositivity to Coxiella burnetii in primiparous and multiparous ewes from southern Australia: A cross-sectional study

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 2022 Jan:80:101727. doi: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101727. Epub 2021 Nov 30.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Animal Production and Health, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
² Centre for Animal Production and Health, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia; Centre for Biosecurity and One Health, Harry Butler Institute, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
³ Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia; Mackinnon Project, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
⁴ Mackinnon Project, Faculty of Veterinary & Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Werribee, Victoria 3030, Australia.
⁵ School of Animal and Veterinary Science, Adelaide University, Roseworthy, South Australia 5371, Australia.
⁶ Centre for Animal Production and Health, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia. Electronic address: C.Jacobson@murdoch.edu.au.

PMID: 34875542
DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101727

Abstract

The role of infectious diseases including coxiellosis in causing poorer reproductive performance of primiparous ewes are not well studied. The aims of this study were to determine if natural exposure to Coxiella burnetii is widespread in breeding ewes and whether seropositivity is associated with poor reproductive performance of primiparous ewes. Seropositivity to Coxiella burnetii was 0.08% (CI95% 0.01, 0.36) in primiparous ewes and 0.36% (CI95% 0.07, 1.14) in mature ewes. Coxiella burnetii was not detected in aborted or stillborn lambs using qPCR. These findings suggest C. burnetii infection was unlikely to be an important contributor to abortion and perinatal mortalities observed for primiparous ewe flocks, and exposure to C. burnetii was not widespread in ewes on farms located over wide geographical region of southern Australia. Whilst ewes on these farms were not an important reservoir for C. burnetii, sporadic zoonotic transmission from sheep is reported and has public health implications.

Keywords: Abortion; Coxiella burnetii reservoir; Lamb mortality; Lamb survival; Maiden ewe; Q-fever; Reproduction; Sheep.

MeSH terms

Animals
Australia / epidemiology
Coxiella burnetii*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Pregnancy
Q Fever* / epidemiology
Q Fever* / veterinary
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Sheep
Sheep Diseases* / epidemiology