Molecular Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Vaginal Swab Samples from Sheep That Aborted

Background: Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular bacterium, is the etiological agent of Q fever in humans and one of the causes of abortion in small ruminants. Although coxiellosis is considered an exotic disease, there are a few reports in Mexico. Methods: The objective of this work was to determine the presence of C. burnetii DNA in vaginal samples from sheep that presented abortion and ram semen. A total of 180 vaginal exudate samples and 20 semen samples were obtained from five Central and Southern States of Mexico. Total DNA was extracted from vaginal swabs and C. burnetii was identified by PCR amplification and sequencing of the IS1111 insertion sequence. Results and Conclusion: In total, 110 (110/180) vaginal samples and 12 (12/20) semen samples were positive for C. burnetii. This is the first report of C. burnetii in sheep that aborted and in ram semen in Mexico.