Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in dairy cattle from Sicily

Q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium with a wide range of hosts. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of C. burnetii infection in cattle in Sicilian farms. A total of 4,661 serum samples, from cattle belonging to 198 Sicilian farms, were examined by ELISA test and 246 resulted positive. The average seroprevalence at the farm level was 38.8% (77/198) (95% CI), while at the animal level it was 5.28% (246/4,661) (95% CI). The present study highlights the need for continuous monitoring of C. burnetii spread as it represents a serious risk for human health.