1. Molecular detection and MST genotyping of Coxiella burnetii in ruminants and stray dogs and cats in Northern Algeria.
- Author
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Ghaoui, H., Bitam, I., Zaidi, S., Achour, N., Zenia, S., Idres, T., and Fournier, P.E.
- Subjects
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COXIELLA burnetii , *RUMINANTS , *FERAL dogs , *DOMESTIC animals , *CATS , *ANIMAL species , *BLOOD sampling - Abstract
Aiming at identifying the reservoir and contamination sources of Coxiella burnetii in Northern Algeria, we investigated the molecular presence of the bacterium in 599 samples (blood, placenta, liver, spleen, and uterus) collected from cattle, sheep, dogs and cats. Our qPCR results showed that 15/344 (4.36%) blood samples and six/255 (2.35%) organ specimens were positive for C. burnetii. In cattle, three (4%) blood and liver samples were positive. In sheep, one blood (1.19%) and 3 (8.57%) placenta samples were positive. At the Algiers dog pound, 8 (10%) and 3 (5%) blood samples were qPCR positivein dogs and cats, respectively. In addition, MST genotyping showed that MST 33 was present in cattle and sheep, MST 20 in cattle,and MST 21 in dogs and cats. • The aim of our study was to detect the presence of C. burnetii in animal species living in close proximity to humans such as ruminants and stray dogs and cats in northern Algeria, in order to evaluate their reservoir role and contamination sources, and also to determine the genetic heterogeneity of circulating C. burnetii strains using the MST genotyping method. In this respect, a total of 599 samples from various types were collected from cattle, sheep, dogs and cats. • Our qPCR results show only 15/344 (4.36%) whole blood samples and 6/255 (2.35%) organ biopsies were positive. In cattle, all spleen and uterus samples were negative, but 3 (4%) animals were positive in blood or liver, including one sampled in the Algiers slaughterhouse, and the other two in bovine farms in north-eastern Algeria. Among sheep specimens, all • bloods from the slaughterhouse were negative whereas one blood and three placenta samples from farm animals were positive. The highest level of infection was detected in dogs and cats from the Algiers dog pound, with 8 (10%) and 3 (5%) of dogs and cats being PCR positive, respectively. These findings testify the presence of Coxiella burnetii in cattle, sheep, dogs and cats in northern Algeria, on the limit of the sampling carried out. • Regarding our MST genotyping results, The MST 21 genotype was detected in 6 and 2 blood samples from dogs and cats, respectively. Secondly, the MST 33 genotype was identified in blood samples from cattle and sheep, and in sheep placenta. Moreover, the MST genotype 20 was detected only in bovine liver samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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