Molecular identification of the agent of Q fever - Coxiella burnetii - in domestic animals in State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 2014-03, Vol.47 (2), p.231-234
• Main Authors: Maria, Angélica Monteiro de Mello Mares-Guia, Rozental, Tatiana, Guterres, Alexandro, Gomes, Raphael, Daniele, Nunes despace Almeida, Namir, Santos Moreira, Jairo, Dias Barreira, Alexsandra, Rodrigues Favacho, Andrea, Lopes Santana, Elba, Regina Sampaio de Lemos
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blood; Coxiella burnetii; Disease transmission; Domestic animals; Gram-negative bacteria; Horses; Tropical diseases; Zoonoses
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0076-201

Introduction Over the last recent years, the number of Q fever cases have has increased throughout the world. An epidemiological investigation was performed in the area in which the first molecular documentation of Q fever in Brazil was previously reported. Methods Indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and PCR of Coxiella burnetii targeting the htpAB gene were performed in samples from 14 dogs (blood); 1 cat (blood); 10 goats (blood, milk, vaginal swab and anal swab); 3 sheep (blood); and 2 horses (blood). Results Two dogs, two sheep and five goats were seroreactive. DNA was amplified from 6 milk and 2 blood samples from goats and from dogs, respectively. The sequence of the amplicons exhibited 99% sequence similarity with the homologous sequence of the htpAB gene of C. burnetii RSA 331 (GenBank - CP000890). Conclusions The results confirm C. burnetii infection in animals in Rio de Janeiro and reinforce the need for the surveillance of Q fever in Brazil.