Ovine-associated Q fever.
In Atlantic Canada, the traditional risk factor for acquisition of Q fever infection has been exposure to infected parturient cats or newborn kittens. In this study we describe the first case of Q fever in Nova Scotia acquired as a result of direct exposure to sheep. A serosurvey of the associated flock was undertaken using an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) testing for antibodies to phase I and phase II Coxiella burnetii antigens. This serosurvey revealed that 23 of 46 sheep (50%) were seropositive for the phase II antibody. Four of these sheep had titres of 1:64 including three nursing ewes, one of which had delivered two lambs that died shortly after delivery. Only one ewe had phase I antibodies but had the study's highest phase II antibody titre (1:128). Molecular studies using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) failed to detect C. burnetii DNA in any of the milk specimens.
Webster
D
D
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. webdu@reg2.health.nb.ca
Haase
D
D
Marrie
T J
TJ
Campbell
N
N
Pettipas
J
J
Davidson
R
R
Hatchette
T F
TF
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D009674:Nova Scotia; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011778:Q Fever / Q000635:transmission* / Q000662:veterinary*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004269:DNA, Bacterial