title: Detection of Coxiella burnetii, the agent of Q fever, in oviducts and uterine flushing media and in genital tract tissues of the non pregnant goat.
abstract: The aim of the present study was the detection and quantification of Coxiella burnetii DNA in the flushing media (oviducts and uterine horns) and genital tract tissues of non pregnant goats from 20 goats chosen at random from 86 goats originating from 56 different breeding herds in south-west France. The serological prevalence rate of C. burnetii in the study population was 70.3%. The DNA of C. burnetii was identified using conventional PCR in the flushing media from the oviducts and uterus in 8/20 goats (40%) and in genital tract tissues (oviduct, uterus and ovary) in 5/20 goats (25%). This study clearly shows for the first time that the media used to flush the oviducts or uterine horns, collected using the standard embryo harvesting technique in goats, are susceptible to infection with C. burnetii. The 16 conventional PCR-positive samples were also analyzed using real-time PCR. The bacterial load of the oviduct and uterine flushing media varied from 2.9×10(4) to 7.5×10(6) bacteria per flushing medium, while the bacterial load of the tissue samples varied from 1.0×10(2) to 1.5×10(5) bacteria per mg of tissue. The infection of genital tract flushing media and tissues is a risk factor for the transmission of C. burnetii from donor to recipient during embryo transfer or to the embryo and fetus when gestation is pursued to term.
authors.affiliation: LUNAM University, Oniris, Nantes-Atlantic National College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering, Department of Research into the Health Risk and Biotechnology of Reproduction, Nantes, France.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsaleh
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pellerin
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodolakis
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Larrat
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cochonneau
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Bruyas
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fieni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D058491:Bacterial Load / Q000276:immunology; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000254:growth & development*; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission; D006041:Goats / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D010057:Oviducts / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011778:Q Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D012098:Reproduction; D012698:Serologic Tests; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D014599:Uterus / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004247:DNA