SEROLOGICAL DETECTION OF ANTI-COXIELLA BURNETII ANTIBODIES IN ROMANIAN SMALL RUMINANTS

Coxiella burnetii is the agent of Q fever, an important zoonosis, maintained in nature in various domestic and wild mammals, birds, reptiles, and ticks. Domestic animals, especially ruminants (cattle, sheep, and goats) are the most important sources of human infections, but the role played in the C. burnetii epidemiology by each species is generally unknown. Data concerning the natural reservoir of C. burnetii in Romanian counties are limited and more studies are recommended to add knowledge in the role played by each species in specific areas. In this survey, a commercial iELISA kit was used to detect antibodies to C. burnetii in 474 small ruminant serum samples from 16 Romanian counties and the municipality of Bucharest. The selection of goats and sheep flocks was based on the recent history (up to 12 month) of reproductive disorders, whose aetiology was not established with certainty and without clinical suspicion of Q fever. To cover as many animals as possible, sample testing was done in pools. A pool included only sera from animals from the same flock. The administrative divisions of the 140 pools included in the survey were as follows: Alba (n=15), Arad (n=4), Arge (n=10), Braila (n=30), Bucharest (n=13), Calarasi (n=1), Caras Severin (n=7), Constanta (n=2), Dambovita (n=4), Giurgiu (n=5), Maramure (n=2), Mure (n=6), Olt (n=4), Sibiu (n= 15), Timi (n=14), Valcea (n=4), Vrancea (n=4). Out of 98 sheep tests, anti-Coxiella burnetii antibodies were in 24.49 % (n=24), while 2.04% (n=2) were suspect and 73.47% (n=72) negative. Out of 42 goat tests, 14.28% (n=6) were positive and 85.72% (n=36) negative. Out of the total serological tests, 21.43% (n=30) were positive, 1.43% (n=2) suspect and 77.14% (n=108) negative. Out of 17 administrative divisions, in 76.47% (n=13) there were detected seropositive small ruminants, respectively: Sibiu, Braila, Giurgiu, Arad, Timis, Caras Severin, Olt, Alba, Mure, Maramure, Vrancea, Calarasi, and the municipality of Bucharest. The following counties revealed no seropositive samples: Valcea, Arge, Dambovita and Constanta. Anti-Coxiella burnetii antibodies shown in healthy small ruminants (sheep and goats) suggest a previous exposure to C. burnetii, as well as a possible circulation of the bacteria in the area.