title: No indication of Coxiella burnetii infection in Norwegian farmed ruminants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infection with Coxiella burnetii, the cause of Q-fever, has never been detected in Norwegian animals. Recognising the increasing prevalence of the infection in neighbouring countries, the aim of the study was to perform a survey of Norwegian farmed ruminants for the prevalence of C. burnetii infection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Milk and blood samples from more than 3450 Norwegian dairy cattle herds, 55 beef cattle herds, 348 dairy goat herds and 118 sheep flocks were serologically examined for antibodies against C. burnetii. All samples were negative for antibodies against C. burnetii. The estimated prevalences of infected herds were 0 (95% confidence interval: 0% - 0.12%), 0 (0% - 12%), 0 (0% - 1.2%) and 0 (0% - 10%) for dairy cattle herds, beef cattle herds, goat herds and sheep flocks, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study indicates that the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in farmed Norwegian ruminants is low, and it cannot be excluded that Norway is free of the infection. It would be beneficial if Norway was able to maintain the current situation. Therefore, preventive measures should be continued.
authors.affiliation: Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway. Annette.Kampen@vetinst.no
authors.forename: Annette H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Kampen
authors.forename: Petter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hopp
authors.forename: Gry M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Grøneng
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Melkild
authors.forename: Anne Margrete
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Urdahl
authors.forename: Ann-Charlotte
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: Jorun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tharaldsen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D016997:Coxiella burnetii; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D006041:Goats; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011778:Q Fever / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial