title: First serologic survey of Q fever in free-range yaks in China.
abstract: The objective of the present investigation was to determine the seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii infection in free-range yaks in China. A total of 552 serum samples were collected from yaks in Gansu province, northwest China between April 2013 and January 2014, and antibodies against C. burnetii were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Overall, 13.59% (75/552, 95% CI: 10.73-16.45) of the examined animals were positive for C. burnetii antibodies. There was no significant difference in C. burnetii seroprevalence between female yaks (13.78%, 95% CI: 10.36-17.19) and male yaks (13.13%, 95% CI: 7.89-18.36) (P>0.05). Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in yaks in different age groups ranged from 10.88% to 15.26%, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in yaks sampled in different seasons ranged from 12.06% (autumn) to 18.33% (summer), but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). This is the first report of C. burnetii seroprevalence in free-range yaks in China, indicating the need for measures to be taken to control C. burnetii infection in free-range yaks in China.
authors.affiliation: BSc in Veterinary Science, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; ; Department of Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China;
authors.forename: M Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: BSc in Veterinary Science, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China;
authors.forename: Q D
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: BSc in Veterinary Science, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China;
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: BSc in Veterinary Science, State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China;
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China;
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; ; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China; ; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for the Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
keywords: China; Coxiella burnetii; Seroprevalence; Yaks