Apparent prevalence and risk factors of coxiellosis (Q fever) among dairy herds in India

Coxiella burnetii is a highly infectious zoonotic pathogen infecting wide range of mammals, including humans. In the present study, a total of 711 blood samples from bovines [cattle (n = 543) and buffaloes (n = 168)] from eight farms at different geographical locations in India were screened for C. burnetii targeting the IS1111 and the com1 genes. The anti-C. burnetii antibodies in serum samples were detected using indirect-ELISA kits. Also, a total of 21 parameters pertaining to animal health and farm management were identified to assess their role as possible risk factors for coxiellosis among the targeted farms. The apparent prevalence (positive for PCR and/or ELISA) for coxiellosis was reported to be 24.5% in cattle and 8.9% in buffaloes. In cattle, the detection rate of C. burnetii employing the IS1111 gene (8.5%) was found to be significantly higher (p