title: Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in clinically healthy German sheep flocks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Current epidemiological data on the situation of Coxiella (C.) burnetii infections in sheep are missing, making risk assessment and the implementation of counteractive measures difficult. Using the German state of Thuringia as a model example, the estimated sero-, and antigen prevalence of C. burnetii (10% and 25%, respectively) was assessed at flock level in 39/252 randomly selected clinically healthy sheep flocks with more than 100 ewes and unknown abortion rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CHECKIT™ Q-fever Test Kit identified 11 (28%) antibody positive herds, whereas real-time PCR revealed the presence of C. burnetii DNA in 2 (5%) of the flocks. Multiple-locus variable number of tandem repeats analysis of 9 isolates obtained from one flock revealed identical profiles. All isolates contained the plasmid QpH1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results demonstrate that C. burnetii is present in clinically inconspicuous sheep flocks and sporadic flare-ups do occur as the notifications to the German animal disease reporting system show. Although C. burnetii infections are not a primary veterinary concern due to the lack of significant clinical impact on animal health (with the exception of goats), the eminent zoonotic risk for humans should not be underestimated. Therefore, strategies combining the interests of public and veterinary public health should include monitoring of flocks, the identification and culling of shedders as well as the administration of protective vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Epidemiologie, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, National Reference Laboratory for Q-fever, Wusterhausen, Germany.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hilbert
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schmoock
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lenzko
authors.forename: Udo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Moog
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diller
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fröhlich
authors.forename: Lothar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elschner
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tomaso
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Henning
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Neubauer
authors.forename: Lisa D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Sprague
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015995:Prevalence; D011778:Q Fever / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004279:DNA, Viral