Molecular and serological investigation of Coxiella burnetii in goats with reproductive disorders.

One of the important yet neglected diseases in goats that affect the reproductive system is Q fever, caused by the Gram-negative, obligate intracellular pathogen, Coxiella burnetii. Molecular techniques cannot be used solely to detect the presence of this pathogen, due to the shedding pattern of the organism. So, both molecular and antibody detection assays were used to know the actual burden of the disease. Although many countries and states have reported Q fever in independent studies, the actual scenario of C. burnetii in Kerala is unknown. In the present study milk, vaginal swabs and blood samples were collected randomly from 150 goats with reproductive disorders in Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram districts. The presence of antibodies (7.99 per cent) against C. burnetii revealed the presence of seropositive goats in Kerala. None of the samples were positive by PCR targeting the Com1 gene and IS1111 genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]