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Liu P, Wu J, Ma W, Yang Y, Lv L, Cai J, Liu Z, He J, Shang Y, Li Z, Cao X. Molecular detection and characterization of Coxiella burnetii in aborted samples of livestock in China. Acta Trop 2024; 254:107163. [PMID: 38428630 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of zoonotic Q fever. Animals are the natural reservoirs of C. burnetii, and domestic livestock represent the major sources of human infection. C. burnetii infection in pregnant females may causes abortion during late pregnancy, whereby massive shedding of C. burnetii with abortion products becomes aerosolized and persists in the environment. Therefore, monitoring and surveillance of this infection in livestock is important for the prevention of the C. burnetii transmission. Previous serological surveys have shown that C. burnetii infection is endemic in livestock in China. However, few data are available on the diagnosis of C. burnetii as a cause of abortion by molecular methods in livestock. To get a better understanding of the impact of C. burnetii infection on domestic livestock in China, a real-time PCR investigation was carried out on collected samples from different domestic livestock suffering abortion during 2021-2023. A total of 338 samples collected from eight herds of five livestock species were elected. The results showed that 223 (66 %) of the collected samples were positive for C. burnetii DNA using real-time PCR. For the aborted samples, 82 % (128/15) of sheep, 81 % (34/42) of goats, 44 % (15/34) of cattle, 69 % (18/26) of camels, and 50 % (17/34) of donkeys were positive for C. burnetii. Besides, 44 % (8/18) and 4 % (1/25) of asymptomatic individuals of sheep and donkey were also positive for C. burnetii. In addition, the positive samples were further confirmed by amplification and sequencing of the C. burnetii-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase (icd) gene. Phylogenetic analysis based on specific gene fragments of icd genes revealed that the obtained sequences in this study were clustered into two different groups associated with different origin of hosts and geographic regions. This is the first report confirming that C. burnetii exists in aborted samples of sheep, goats, cattle, donkeys and camels in China. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the epidemiology of this pathogen in livestock as well as the potential risks to public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Jinyan Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Weimin Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Yamin Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Lv Lv
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Jiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Zhijie Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Jijun He
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Youjun Shang
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China
| | - Zhaocai Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China.
| | - Xiaoan Cao
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046, China.
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Fereig RM, Mazeed AM, El Tawab AAA, El-Diasty M, Elsayed A, Shaapan RM, Abdelbaset AE, Frey CF, Alawfi BS, Altwaim SA, Alharbi AS, Wareth G. Exposure to Brucella Species, Coxiella burnetii, and Trichinella Species in Recently Imported Camels from Sudan to Egypt: Possible Threats to Animal and Human Health. Pathogens 2024; 13:179. [PMID: 38392917 PMCID: PMC10892970 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13020179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis and coxiellosis/Q fever are bacterial infections caused by Brucella species and Coxiella burnetii, respectively; camels are highly susceptible to both pathogens. Trichinellosis is a parasitic infection caused by various Trichinella nematode species. Reportedly, camels are susceptible to experimental infection with Trichinella spp., but information on this potential host species is scarce. All three infections are of zoonotic nature and thus of great public health concern. The current study aimed to determine antibodies against the three pathogens in recently imported camels (n = 491) from Sudan at the two main ports for the entrance of camels into southern Egypt using commercial indirect ELISAs. Samples were collected in two sampling periods. The seropositivity rates of Brucella spp., C. burnetii, and Trichinella spp. were 3.5%, 4.3%, and 2.4%, respectively. Mixed seropositivity was found in 1% for Brucella spp. and C. burnetii. Marked differences were found between the two study sites and the two sampling periods for Brucella. A higher rate of seropositivity was recorded in the Red Sea/older samples that were collected between 2015 and 2016 (4.3%, 17/391; odds ratio = 9.4; p < 0.030) than in those collected in Aswan/recent samples that were collected between 2018 and 2021 (0/100). Concerning C. burnetii, samples collected during November and December 2015 had a significantly higher positivity rate than the other samples (13%, 13/100; OD = 4.8; p < 0.016). The same effect was observed for antibodies to Trichinella spp., with samples collected during November and December 2015 showing a higher positivity rate than the other samples (7%, 7/100; OD = 10.9; p < 0.001). This study provides valuable information on the seroprevalence of Brucella spp. and additional novel information on C. burnetii and Trichinella spp. in recently imported camels kept in quarantine before delivery to other Egyptian regions. This knowledge can be utilized to reduce health hazards and financial burdens attributable to brucellosis, Q fever, and trichinellosis in animals and humans in Egypt.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ragab M. Fereig
- Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt
| | - Amira M. Mazeed
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Arish University, Arish 45516, Egypt;
| | - Ashraf A. Abd El Tawab
- Department of Bacteriology, Immunology, and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Toukh 13736, Egypt;
| | - Mohamed El-Diasty
- Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Animal Health Research Institute-Mansoura Provincial Laboratory, (AHRI-Mansoura), Giza 12618, Egypt;
| | - Ahmed Elsayed
- Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Animal Health Research Institute-Al Shalateen Provincial Laboratory (AHRI-Al Shalateen), Giza 12618, Egypt;
| | - Raafat M. Shaapan
- Department of Zoonoses, National Research Centre, 33 El-Tahrir Street, Dokki 12622, Egypt;
| | - Abdelbaset E. Abdelbaset
- Laboratory of Parasitology, Graduate School of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0808, Japan;
- Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Caroline F. Frey
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse-Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Bader S. Alawfi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah 42353, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Sarah A. Altwaim
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia (A.S.A.)
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22252, Saudi Arabia
| | - Azzah S. Alharbi
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia (A.S.A.)
- Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22252, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal Wareth
- Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Fredrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 07743 Jena, Germany
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany
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Ringa-Ošleja G, Antāne V, Lūsis I, Grantiņa-Ieviņa L, Šteingolde Ž, Mališevs A, Bērziņš A. Reproduction and Productivity in Dairy Cattle after Abortions Both Related and Unrelated to Coxiella burnetii. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3561. [PMID: 38003178 PMCID: PMC10668823 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
C. burnetii is a widespread pathogen, causing abortions and reproductive disorders in ruminants. The study aimed to evaluate animal reproductive capacity and productivity after abortion, related and unrelated to C. burnetii. We compared data about the abortion time, the outcome of the animals after an abortion, further reproduction, and productivity for C. burnetii-positive (n = 148) and C. burnetii-negative (n = 149) aborted dairy cows and heifers. C. burnetii-positive animals had a positive serological response or presence of C. burnetii DNA at the time of abortion. C. burnetii-positive animals had a significantly higher number of lactations at the time of abortion. However, in the other indicators, we observed no significant differences between the groups. Comparing indicators of all the aborted animals, we found that if animals started a new lactation after abortion, they had a significantly lower milk yield, lower fat, protein, and somatic cell counts (SCCs) in milk during the standard lactation for both primiparous and multiparous cows compared to herd averages in each group. Lower SCCs can be due to animals with a high SCC being culled earlier. We found an economic disadvantage to aborting, not only because of the loss of offspring, but also because of the high culling rate and lower productivity in both primiparous and multiparous cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guna Ringa-Ošleja
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3004 Jelgava, Latvia; (V.A.); (I.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Vita Antāne
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3004 Jelgava, Latvia; (V.A.); (I.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Ivars Lūsis
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3004 Jelgava, Latvia; (V.A.); (I.L.); (A.B.)
| | - Lelde Grantiņa-Ieviņa
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (L.G.-I.); (Ž.Š.); (A.M.)
| | - Žanete Šteingolde
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (L.G.-I.); (Ž.Š.); (A.M.)
| | - Artjoms Mališevs
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (L.G.-I.); (Ž.Š.); (A.M.)
| | - Aivars Bērziņš
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, LV-3004 Jelgava, Latvia; (V.A.); (I.L.); (A.B.)
- Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment BIOR, LV-1076 Riga, Latvia; (L.G.-I.); (Ž.Š.); (A.M.)
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Khalafalla AI. Zoonotic diseases transmitted from the camels. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1244833. [PMID: 37929289 PMCID: PMC10620500 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1244833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Zoonotic diseases, infections transmitted naturally from animals to humans, pose a significant public health challenge worldwide. After MERS-CoV was discovered, interest in camels was raised as potential intermediate hosts for zoonotic viruses. Most published review studies pay little attention to case reports or zoonotic epidemics where there is epidemiological proof of transmission from camels to humans. Accordingly, any pathogen found in camels known to cause zoonotic disease in other animals or humans is reported. Methods Here, zoonotic diseases linked to camels are reviewed in the literature, focusing on those with epidemiological or molecular evidence of spreading from camels to humans. This review examines the risks posed by camel diseases to human health, emphasizing the need for knowledge and awareness in mitigating these risks. Results A search of the literature revealed that eight (36.4%) of the 22 investigations that offered convincing evidence of camel-to-human transmission involved MERS, five (22.7%) Brucellosis, four (18.2%) plague caused by Yersinia pestis, three (13.6%) camelpox, one (4.5%) hepatitis E, and one (4.5%) anthrax. The reporting of these zoonotic diseases has been steadily increasing, with the most recent period, from 2010 to the present, accounting for 59% of the reports. Additionally, camels have been associated with several other zoonotic diseases, including toxoplasmosis, Rift Valley fever, TB, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Q fever, despite having no evidence of a transmission event. Transmission of human zoonotic diseases primarily occurs through camel milk, meat, and direct or indirect contact with camels. The above-mentioned diseases were discussed to determine risks to human health. Conclusion MERS, Brucellosis, plague caused by Y. pestis, camelpox, hepatitis E, and anthrax are the main zoonotic diseases associated with human disease events or outbreaks. Transmission to humans primarily occurs through camel milk, meat, and direct contact with camels. There is a need for comprehensive surveillance, preventive measures, and public health interventions based on a one-health approach to mitigate the risks of zoonotic infections linked to camels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelmalik Ibrahim Khalafalla
- Development and Innovation Sector, Biosecurity Affairs Division, Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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