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.
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. webdu@reg2.health.nb.ca
D
D
Webster
D
D
Haase
T J
TJ
Marrie
N
N
Campbell
J
J
Pettipas
R
R
Davidson
T F
TF
Hatchette
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