First serological record of Coxiella burnetii infection in the equine population of Slovakia

AbstractCoxiella burnetii is a worldwide zoonotic pathogen causing Q fever in various animal species and humans. In Slovakia, cases of C. burnetii infection in both animals and humans are confirmed every year. The role of horses in the epidemiology of this neglected disease is still unclear. In our study, we focused on a serosurvey of C. burnetii in the equine population in Slovakia by the ELISA method. Subsequently, a nested PCR was performed to detect the 16S rRNA fragment of the genus Coxiella. Among 184 horse sera, the presence of specific antibodies to C. burnetii was detected in four samples, representing a 2.17% seropositivity. All the positive horses were mares; two originated from Central Slovakia and two from Eastern Slovakia. Although the number of positive samples was too small for a determination of statistical significance, our results provide the first confirmation of antibodies to C. burnetii in horses from Slovakia. Although no positive PCR result was obtained, these serological findings may help to clarify the circulation of the pathogen in the environment.

Download Full-text

The prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in ticks and animals in Slovenia

BMC Veterinary Research ◽

10.1186/s12917-019-2130-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Nataša Knap ◽

Diana Žele ◽

Urška Glinšek Biškup ◽

Tatjana Avšič-Županc ◽

Gorazd Vengušt

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Q Fever ◽

Primary Source ◽

Domestic Animals ◽

Animal Blood ◽

Blood Samples ◽

Specific Antibodies ◽

Source Of Infection ◽

History Of ◽

Pathogen Dna

Abstract Background The obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii causes globally distributed zoonotic Q fever. Ruminant livestock are common reservoirs of C. burnetii. Coxiella burnetii are shed in large numbers in the waste of infected animals and are transmitted by inhalation of contaminated aerosols. This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in domestic animals and ticks in areas of Slovenia associated with a history of Q fever outbreaks. Results A total of 701 ticks were collected and identified from vegetation, domestic animals and wild animals. C. burnetii DNA was detected in 17 out of 701 (2.4%) ticks. No C. burnetii DNA was found in male ticks. Ticks that tested positive in the PCR-based assay were most commonly sampled from wild deer (5.09%), followed by ticks collected from domestic animals (1.16%) and ticks collected by flagging vegetation (0.79%). Additionally, 150 animal blood samples were investigated for the presence of C. burnetii-specific antibodies and pathogen DNA. The presence of pathogen DNA was confirmed in 14 out of 150 (9.3%) blood samples, while specific antibodies were detected in sera from 60 out of 150 (40.4%) animals. Conclusions Our results indicate that ticks, although not the primary source of the bacteria, are infected with C. burnetii and may represent a potential source of infection for humans and animals. Ticks collected from animals were most likely found to harbor C. burnetii DNA, and the infection was not lost during molting. The persistence and distribution of pathogens in cattle and sheep indicates that C. burnetii is constantly present in Slovenia.

Download Full-text

Effect-Size Measures and Meta-Analytic Thinking in Counseling Psychology Research

The Counseling Psychologist ◽

10.1177/0011000005283558 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 601-629 ◽

Cited By ~ 75

Author(s):

Robin K. Henson

Keyword(s):

Confidence Intervals ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Effect Sizes ◽

Analytic Thinking ◽

Statistical Significance Testing ◽

History Of ◽

The Difference ◽

Result Interpretation

Effect sizes are critical to result interpretation and synthesis across studies. Although statistical significance testing has historically dominated the determination of result importance, modern views emphasize the role of effect sizes and confidence intervals. This article accessibly discusses how to calculate and interpret the effect sizes that counseling psychologists use most frequently. To provide context, the author presents a brief history of statistical significance tests. Second, the author discusses the difference between statistical, practical, and clinical significance. Third, the author reviews and graphically demonstrates two common types of effect sizes, commenting on multivariate and corrected effect sizes. Fourth, the author emphasizes meta-analytic thinking and the potential role of confidence intervals around effect sizes. Finally, the author gives a hypothetical example of how to report and potentially interpret some effect sizes.

Download Full-text

Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence in primiparous and multiparous ewes from southern Australia: a cross-sectional study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-1026866/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Clune ◽

Amy Lockwood ◽

Serina Hancock ◽

Andrew N. Thompson ◽

Mieghan Bruce ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Reproductive Performance ◽

Q Fever ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Molecular Diagnostic ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Tissue Samples ◽

Natural Exposure ◽

Reproductive Disease

Abstract Coxiella burnetii can cause reproductive disease in sheep and zoonotic Q-fever infections in humans. The role of infectious diseases including coxiellosis in causing poorer reproductive performance of primiparous ewes is not well studied. The aim of this study was to determine if natural exposure to C. burnetii is associated with poor reproductive performance of primiparous ewes and compare seroprevalence of primiparous and multiparous ewes. Coxiella burnetii seroprevalence was 0.08% (95% confidence interval 0.01, 0.36) in primiparous ewes and 0.36% (0.07, 1.14) in mature ewes. Coxiella burnetii was not detected in tissue samples from aborted or stillborn lambs using molecular diagnostic tests (qPCR). These findings suggest that C. burnetii infection was unlikely to be an important contributor to abortion and perinatal mortalities observed for primiparous ewes, and exposure to C. burnetii was not widespread in ewes on farms located over wide geographical region of southern Australia.

Download Full-text

Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii infection in aborted samples of domestic ruminants in Iran

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0250116 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. e0250116

Author(s):

Ashraf Mohabati Mobarez ◽

Mohammad Khalili ◽

Ehsan Mostafavi ◽

Saber Esmaeili

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Molecular Detection ◽

Q Fever ◽

Domestic Animal ◽

Domestic Ruminant ◽

Domestic Ruminants ◽

Pcr Targeting ◽

Different Parts

Background Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever which is a highly infectious zoonotic disease. C. burnetii has become one of the most important causes of abortion in livestock, which can lead to widespread abortions in these animals. There are very limited studies on the prevalence of C. burnetii infection in cases of animal abortion in Iran. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of C. burnetii in ruminant abortion samples in Iran. Methods Abortion samples from cattle, sheep and goats were collected from different parts of Iran and were tested using Real-time PCR targeting the IS1111 element of C. burnetii. Results In this study, 36 samples (24.7%) of the 146 collected samples were positive for C. burnetii. The prevalence of C. burnetii was 21.3% (20 of 94 samples) in sheep samples. Also, 10 of 46 cattle samples (21.7%) were positive. All six goat abortion samples were positive for C. burnetii. Conclusions The findings of the study demonstrate that C. burnetii plays an important role in domestic ruminant abortions in Iran, suggesting that more attention should be paid to the role of C. burnetii in domestic animal abortions by veterinary organizations. The risk of transmitting the infection to humans due to abortion of animals should also be considered.

Download Full-text

Determination of specific antibodies titre to salmonella enteritidis by elisa technique in several selected flocks of laying hens

Veterinarski glasnik ◽

10.2298/vetgl0404319v ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 58 (3-4) ◽

pp. 319-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maja Velhner ◽

Dusan Orlic ◽

Dubravka Potkonjak ◽

Milos Kapetanov ◽

Sava Lazic

Keyword(s):

Antibody Titre ◽

Salmonella Enteritidis ◽

Laying Hens ◽

Elisa Method ◽

Specific Antibodies ◽

Elisa Technique ◽

High Level

In this paper, the antibody titre to Salmonella enteritidis (SE) was examined by the ELISA method in two flocks of laying hens, where during routine bacteriological investigations Salmonellae was never isolated, and in one flock where Colysepticemia was diagnosed and Salmonella isolated accidentally. In the flocks were Salmonellae were not isolated, a titre with a high level of specific antibodies to SE was discovered (15 and 45%), while the flock with accidental findings of SE was poorly positive (5%). These results point to the necessity of introducing serological monitoring to SE so that the infection of salmonella may be discovered early and the prevalence in the flock determined, and also for the purpose of applying adequate measures that could reduce the possibility of secretion of SE through eggs.

Download Full-text

COMPARISON OF DIAGNOSTIC EFFECTIVENESS OF METHODS OF DETECTION OF COXIELLA BURNETII IN BLOOD OF PATIENTS WITH Q FEVER BASED ON AMPLIFICATION OF 16S rRNA GENE FRAGMENTS (STANDARD PCR) AND groEL GENE (REALTIME PCR)

Journal of microbiology epidemiology immunobiology ◽

10.36233/0372-9311-2016-3-70-74 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 70-74

Author(s):

Yu. A. Panferova ◽

O. A. Freilikhman ◽

N. K. Tokarevich ◽

S. F. Karpenko ◽

Kh. M. Galimzyanov

Keyword(s):

16S Rrna ◽

16S Rrna Gene ◽

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Q Fever ◽

Clinical Material ◽

Rrna Gene ◽

Gene Fragment ◽

Rt Pcr ◽

Pcr Marker ◽

Infectious Process

Aim. Comparison of diagnostic capabilities of 2 variants of PCR for detection of Coxiella burnetii persistence in dynamics of infectious process in patients with Q fever. Materials and methods. 110 samples of clinical material, obtained from patients with Q fever in an endemic region for this infection (Astrakhan region), were studied. The samples were studied in a standard PCR (marker - 16S rRNA gene fragment) and in real-time PCR (RT-PCR) (marker - groEL gene fragment). Results. Both markers were established to be perspective for detection of C. burnetii DNA in clinical material, and RT-PCR detects positive result including late stages of the disease (illness day 21 - 31). Conclusion. This study is the first Russian publication on comparison on different PCR variants for detection of C. burnetii in blood of Q fever patients in dynamics of the infectious process.

Download Full-text

Spinning sugars in antigen biosynthesis: a direct study of the Coxiella burnetii and Streptomyces griseus TDP-sugar epimerases

10.1101/2021.10.25.465559 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Alice R Cross ◽

Sumita Roy ◽

Mirella Vivoli Vega ◽

Martin Rejzek ◽

Sergey A Nepogodiev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genome Sequencing ◽

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Active Site ◽

Streptomyces Griseus ◽

Proton Exchange ◽

Ring Contraction ◽

Zoonotic Pathogen ◽

Similar Path

The sugars streptose and dihydrohydroxystreptose (DHHS) are unique to the bacteria Streptomyces griseus and Coxiella burnetii respectively. Streptose forms the central moiety of the antibiotic streptomycin, whilst DHHS is found in the O-antigen of the zoonotic pathogen C. burnetii. Biosynthesis of these sugars has been proposed to follow a similar path to that of TDP-rhamnose, catalysed by the enzymes RmlA/RmlB/RmlC/RmlD. Streptose and DHHS biosynthesis unusually require a ring contraction step that might be performed by the orthologues of RmlC or RmlD. Genome sequencing of S. griseus and C. burnetii proposed the StrM and CBU1838 proteins respectively as RmlC orthologues. Here, we demonstrate through both coupled and direct observation studies that both enzymes can perform the RmlC 3'',5'' double epimerisation activity; and that this activity supports TDP-rhamnose biosynthesis in vivo. We demonstrate that proton exchange is faster at the 3'' position than the 5'' position, in contrast to a previously studied orthologue. We solved the crystal structures of CBU1838 and StrM in complex with TDP and show that they form an active site highly similar to previously characterised enzymes. These results further support the hypothesis that streptose and DHHS are biosynthesised using the TDP pathway and are consistent with the ring contraction step being performed on a double epimerised substrate, most likely by the RmlD paralogue. This work will support the determination of the full pathways for streptose and DHHS biosynthesis.

Download Full-text

Determination of Leptin Adiponectin, LDL/HDL ratio with substantial role of Adiponectin and its Receptor

10.53350/pjmhs2115102550 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (10) ◽

pp. 2550-2553

Author(s):

Muhammad Ali Talat ◽

Muhammad Shoaib ◽

Sana Sabir ◽

Uzair Mumtaz ◽

Ambreen Tauseef ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthy Subjects ◽

Elisa Method ◽

Metabolic Disturbances ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lipid Status ◽

History Of ◽

Obese Subjects ◽

Suitable Marker

Aim: To determine Leptin/Adiponectin ratio, LDL/HDL ratio and AdipoR1 in obese and healthy subjects along with their respective lipid status. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in Sialkot city. One hundred and thirty-two participants took part in this research. Participants were equally divided into two groups containing non-obese and obese subjects. Mean age was 39.6±0.97 years. Mean BMI for obese subjects was 31.55±0.6 while non-obese group BMI was 20.5±0.2. Individuals with conditions and history of drugs were excluded. Informed and written consent was obtained prior to fasting blood sampling. Serum extraction and proper storage for later testing was carried out. ELISA method used for Adiponectin, AdiopR1 and leptin estimations while lipid profile was determined by Randox Diagnostics kits, using micro lab. SPSS v. 26. was used for comparison between by Mann-Whitney U tes. Results: Higher levels of Leptin/Adiponectin ratio(0.85±0.1) and LDL/HDL ratio (3.39 ± 0.1), serum Adiponectin (545± 73.3 ug/L), leptin (320.7±50.3 pg/mL) and AdipoR1 (28.9± 2.8 ng/mL) in obese when compared with healthy individuals, Leptin/Adiponectin ratio (0.44 ± 0.07 ) and LDL/HDL ratio (2.56 ± 0.08) Adiponectin (834± 70.6 ug/L), AdiopoR1 (17.8± 1.97 ng/mL), leptin (224.4±168.7 pg/mL). Correlation of adiponectin found positive for AdipoR1(r=0.336,p<0.05) and Leptin(r=0263,p<0.05) in obese subjects. L/A ratio correlated positive with leptin (r=0.644,p<0.05) in obese while in healthy subjects (leptin r=0.409,p<0.05,adiponectin r=-0.408,p<0.05 and HDL r=0.266,p<0.05).. Conclusion: The Leptin/Adiponectin ratio was found higher in obese subjects 0.85 as compared to healthy ones 0.44. Also the LDL/HDL ratio was found higher (3.39) when compared to non-obese (2.56), suggesting these ratios as a suitable marker to estimate metabolic disturbances and underlying dyslipidemia in the obese subjects. Key Words: Adiponectin, LDL/HDL ratio, Leptin, Leptin/Adiponectin ratio, Obesity

Download Full-text

The role of wild rodents in spread and transmission of Coxiella burnetii needs further elucidation

Wildlife Research ◽

10.1071/wr10129 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 38 (7) ◽

pp. 617 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Bastiaan G. Meerburg ◽

Chantal B. E. M. Reusken

Keyword(s):

Coxiella Burnetii ◽

Q Fever ◽

Direct Transmission ◽

Wild Rodents ◽

Exact Role ◽

Sylvatic Cycle ◽

Geographic Spread ◽

Domestic Cycle ◽

Food Losses

Rodents are known to cause massive food losses, but are also implicated as reservoirs for a wide variety of zoonotic pathogens. This review discusses the contribution of rodents in the spread and transmission of Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q-fever. We found that rodents have been implicated as reservoirs for Q-fever, but their role in pathogen maintenance, geographic spread and transmission still remains to be clarified. As there are indications for a role of rodents in Q-fever epidemiology, including during the 2007–10 outbreak in the Netherlands, the overall lack of knowledge on the role of rodents warrants studies into their contribution in transmission of C. burnetii from the sylvatic cycle to the domestic cycle, in within-herd transmission, in transmission to surrounding farms and in direct transmission to humans. Although the basic sylvatic and domestic cycles of C. burnetii infection can operate independently, they will overlap in many instances as many areas in the world are occupied by both domestic and wild animals. This area of Q-fever ecology is of interest and research should focus on this aspect of Q-fever epidemiology and, in particular, on the role of rodents therein. More studies are needed that elicit the exact role of rodents in epidemiology of C. burnetii to further optimise disease control.

Download Full-text