title: Apparent prevalence of antibodies to Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) in bulk tank milk from dairy herds in southern Belgium.
abstract: In 2006, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in 206 herds in southern Belgium to estimate the proportion of herds with Q fever-seropositive bulk tank milk (BTM), i.e. herds with an intra-herd seroprevalence >10%. Of the tested herds, 119 (57.8%; 95% CI: 51.1-64.4%) were seropositive. Most had a low antibody titre. Of these herds, 50 were randomly subjected to a real time Coxiella burnetii PCR analysis. The proportion of herds excreting Coxiella in BTM was 30.0% with only 2.0% of herds having a high level of shedding. An additional questionnaire and logistical regression identified some factors which increased the risk of BTM seroconversion (in heifers, drinking water from watercourse or well water) and some which decreased it (in heifers, tie- and free-stalling, and animals of all age in the same shed; in heifers and cows, shed disinfection).
authors.affiliation: Association Régionale de Santé et d'Identification Animales (ARSIA), Avenue Alfred Deponthière 40, B-4431 Loncin, Belgium. guy.czaplicki@arsia.be
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Czaplicki
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Houtain
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mullender
authors.forename: Sarah Rebecca
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: Marie-France
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Humblet
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manteca
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saegerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000276:immunology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003612:Dairying; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D016015:Logistic Models; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial