article · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Coxiellosis is a zoonotic infection that impairs the productivity and reproductive health of livestock. An investigation across seven livestock farms in Punjab, Pakistan, assessed the presence of the causative bacterium, Coxiella burnetii, in small ruminants and their ticks. Serological testing of one thousand serum samples revealed infection rates of 15.6 percent in sheep and 15.0 percent in goats using indirect ELISA. Subsequent real-time quantitative PCR confirmed bacterial DNA in twenty-nine pooled seropositive blood samples and eleven of fifty-five pooled tick samples. Seropositivity was significantly associated with geographic district, lactational status, reproductive status, body condition, and the presence of reproductive disorders. In addition, detecting bacterial DNA in ticks was significantly associated with tick infestations on the ruminants, confirming the widespread presence of the pathogen among farm livestock and tick vectors.
Coxiellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that harms livestock productivity and fertility, while also posing health risks to humans. Documenting the prevalence of Coxiella burnetii and identifying associated risk factors, such as tick infestation and lactation status, helps agricultural managers and veterinary authorities understand transmission risks and design better herd management and disease surveillance protocols.
The abstract provides epidemiological prevalence data and risk factor assessments, but it does not evaluate any technology, intervention, or product. Consequently, the abstract does not indicate an application pathway or a direct commercialisation opportunity, remaining at the level of early-stage observational research that may inform veterinary diagnostics and herd monitoring protocols.
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Coxiellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> affecting the productive and reproductive capabilities of animals. This study was conducted to gain insight into the seroprevalence of coxiellosis in small ruminants in seven farms of the Punjab, Pakistan. Potential risk factors were assessed. In total, 1000 serum samples (500 from sheep and 500 from goats) and 163 ticks were collected from the ruminants. All these 163 ticks were merged into 55 pools (29 pools for ticks from sheep and 26 pools for ticks from goat). Serum samples were investigated using an indirect ELISA and PCR. <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> DNA was detected in 29 pooled seropositive samples and 11 pooled ticks by real-time qPCR. Serological analysis revealed a prevalence of 15.6% and 15.0% in sheep and goats, respectively. A significant association was found between seropositivity and different variables like district, lactational status, reproductive status, body condition and reproductive disorders. Univariate analysis showed that detection of <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA in tick pools was significantly associated with the presence of ticks on sheep and goats. However, a non-significant association was found for the prevalence of <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA in serum pools. Hence, <i>C. burnetii</i> infection is prevalent in small ruminants and ticks maintained at livestock farms in Punjab, Pakistan.
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DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214271
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