STUDIES ON COXIELLA BURNETII MICRO-ORGANISM THE CAUSE OF Q FEVER AND ITS ROLE IN REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS IN CATTLE AND BUFFALO

Abstract

Coxiella burnetii is a small, Gram negative, pleomorphic, and bacillus organism, which cause Q fever in human and livestock animals. Scarcely data on sero-prevalence of C. burnetii in cattle and buffaloes is available in Egypt. Hence the aim of this study was to study the sero-prevalence of C. burnetii by IFA and detection of C. burnetii DNA in milk and sera samples. Total of 314 blood and 282 milk samples were collected from 546 cows and 50 buffaloes located in Assuit, Bani-Swif, Dakahlya, Fayoum, Giza, and Minya governorates during January 2015 to December 2017. Animal reproductive status was recorded. Sero-prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Antigen phase II was detected by IFA. In addition seropositive samples were subjected to RT-qPCR using primers and probes targeting Icd and IS1111 genes. Study included different Abs IgG and IgM, in serum and milk in different animal species, governorates and animal reproductive status.