title: Genotypes of Coxiella burnetii in wildlife: disentangling the molecular epidemiology of a multi-host pathogen.
abstract: Evidences point to a relevant role of wildlife in the ecology of Coxiella burnetii worldwide. The lack of information on C. burnetii genotypes in wildlife prevents tracing-back clinical animal and human Q fever cases with potential wildlife origin. To compare C. burnetii genotypes circulating in wildlife, livestock and humans, 107 samples from red deer, European wild rabbit, racoon, small mammals, goat and sheep were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and reverse line blot hybridization. Genomic groups I, II, VI and VII were found in wildlife and groups I, II, III and IV in domestic ruminants. Livestock genotypes clustered mainly with genotypes reported previously in livestock. Genotyping confirmed previous findings that suggest that C. burnetii may display host specificity since most genotypes of sympatric deer and rabbits clustered in separate groups. Wildlife genotypes clustered with genotypes from ticks and from acute hepatitis human Q fever cases, suggesting that particular C. burnetii genotypes circulating in a wildlife-tick cycle may occasionally jump into humans through tick bites or exposure to wildlife. This finding could be behind the reported geographic variation in the clinical presentation of acute Q fever in humans in Spain: atypical pneumonia in the north and hepatitis in the south.
authors.affiliation: Health and Biotechnology (SaBio) group, Spanish Wildlife Research Institute IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: González-Barrio
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Laboratorio de Investigación y Referencia en Patógenos Especiales, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. de Pozuelo km 2.6, Majadahonda, Madrid, 28220, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jado
authors.affiliation: Health and Biotechnology (SaBio) group, Spanish Wildlife Research Institute IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: Isabel G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Fernández-de-Mera
authors.affiliation: Health and Biotechnology (SaBio) group, Spanish Wildlife Research Institute IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Rocio Fernández-Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Laboratorio de Investigación y Referencia en Patógenos Especiales, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. de Pozuelo km 2.6, Majadahonda, Madrid, 28220, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Vargas
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Laboratorio de Investigación y Referencia en Patógenos Especiales, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. de Pozuelo km 2.6, Majadahonda, Madrid, 28220, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Amil
authors.affiliation: Health and Biotechnology (SaBio) group, Spanish Wildlife Research Institute IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Beltrán-Beck
authors.affiliation: Department of Bacteriology, Laboratorio de Investigación y Referencia en Patógenos Especiales, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ctra. de Pozuelo km 2.6, Majadahonda, Madrid, 28220, Spain.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anda
authors.affiliation: Health and Biotechnology (SaBio) group, Spanish Wildlife Research Institute IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, Ciudad Real 13071, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Fons