Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)

Q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium <i>Coxiella burnetii</i>, primarily transmitted through the inhalation of contaminated aerosols. This study aimed to detect <i>C. burnetii</i> in two Sicilian sheep flocks, with no better...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Valeria Blanda, Giuseppina Chiarenza, Ilenia Giacchino, Sergio Migliore, Santina Di Bella, Francesco La Russa, Valeria Vaglica, Rosalia D’Agostino, Francesca Arcuri, Carmela Sciacca, Marilena Alfano, Natalia Sciortino, Alessandra Torina, Francesca Grippi, Domenico Vicari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/22/3321
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846154618460962816
author Valeria Blanda
Giuseppina Chiarenza
Ilenia Giacchino
Sergio Migliore
Santina Di Bella
Francesco La Russa
Valeria Vaglica
Rosalia D’Agostino
Francesca Arcuri
Carmela Sciacca
Marilena Alfano
Natalia Sciortino
Alessandra Torina
Francesca Grippi
Domenico Vicari
author_facet Valeria Blanda
Giuseppina Chiarenza
Ilenia Giacchino
Sergio Migliore
Santina Di Bella
Francesco La Russa
Valeria Vaglica
Rosalia D’Agostino
Francesca Arcuri
Carmela Sciacca
Marilena Alfano
Natalia Sciortino
Alessandra Torina
Francesca Grippi
Domenico Vicari
author_sort Valeria Blanda
collection DOAJ
description Q fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium <i>Coxiella burnetii</i>, primarily transmitted through the inhalation of contaminated aerosols. This study aimed to detect <i>C. burnetii</i> in two Sicilian sheep flocks, with no better defined reproductive disorders reported by the farmers. Blood, individual and bulk milk, ticks, and conjunctival swabs were collected from both flocks (A and B). Real-time and traditional PCRs were carried out to detect <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA and anti-<i>C. burnetii</i> antibodies were searched using an ELISA. In terms of Farm A, <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA was detected in 7.1% of blood samples, 20% of individual milk samples, bulk milk, 66.6% of conjunctival swabs, and in all the examined tick pools. Anti-<i>C. burnetii</i> antibodies were found in 77.0% of sera, 92.5% of individual milk samples, and bulk milk. In terms of Farm B, <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA was detected in 3.8% of blood samples, 39.4% of individual milk samples, bulk milk, 100% of conjunctival swabs, and in all tick pools; anti-<i>C. burnetii</i> antibodies were present in 53.6% of sera, 73.2% of milk samples, and in bulk milk. Our results highlight the high diffusion of <i>C. burnetii</i> in the two outbreaks, with widespread pathogen circulation, significant shedding in dairy products, and high environmental contamination, highlighting the need for enhanced surveillance and control measures in dairy sheep farms.
format Article
id doaj-art-5ad5b34dc57d45b98a33c5756cddbb71
institution Kabale University
issn 2076-2615
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Animals
spelling doaj-art-5ad5b34dc57d45b98a33c5756cddbb712024-11-26T17:46:12ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152024-11-011422332110.3390/ani14223321Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)Valeria Blanda0Giuseppina Chiarenza1Ilenia Giacchino2Sergio Migliore3Santina Di Bella4Francesco La Russa5Valeria Vaglica6Rosalia D’Agostino7Francesca Arcuri8Carmela Sciacca9Marilena Alfano10Natalia Sciortino11Alessandra Torina12Francesca Grippi13Domenico Vicari14Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyAzienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Agrigento, Viale della Vittoria, 321, 92100 Agrigento, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Via Gino Marinuzzi 3, 90129 Palermo, ItalyQ fever is a widespread zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium <i>Coxiella burnetii</i>, primarily transmitted through the inhalation of contaminated aerosols. This study aimed to detect <i>C. burnetii</i> in two Sicilian sheep flocks, with no better defined reproductive disorders reported by the farmers. Blood, individual and bulk milk, ticks, and conjunctival swabs were collected from both flocks (A and B). Real-time and traditional PCRs were carried out to detect <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA and anti-<i>C. burnetii</i> antibodies were searched using an ELISA. In terms of Farm A, <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA was detected in 7.1% of blood samples, 20% of individual milk samples, bulk milk, 66.6% of conjunctival swabs, and in all the examined tick pools. Anti-<i>C. burnetii</i> antibodies were found in 77.0% of sera, 92.5% of individual milk samples, and bulk milk. In terms of Farm B, <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA was detected in 3.8% of blood samples, 39.4% of individual milk samples, bulk milk, 100% of conjunctival swabs, and in all tick pools; anti-<i>C. burnetii</i> antibodies were present in 53.6% of sera, 73.2% of milk samples, and in bulk milk. Our results highlight the high diffusion of <i>C. burnetii</i> in the two outbreaks, with widespread pathogen circulation, significant shedding in dairy products, and high environmental contamination, highlighting the need for enhanced surveillance and control measures in dairy sheep farms.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/22/3321<i>Coxiella burnetii</i>sheepoutbreakpreventionraw milkSicily
spellingShingle Valeria Blanda
Giuseppina Chiarenza
Ilenia Giacchino
Sergio Migliore
Santina Di Bella
Francesco La Russa
Valeria Vaglica
Rosalia D’Agostino
Francesca Arcuri
Carmela Sciacca
Marilena Alfano
Natalia Sciortino
Alessandra Torina
Francesca Grippi
Domenico Vicari
Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)
Animals
<i>Coxiella burnetii</i>
sheep
outbreak
prevention
raw milk
Sicily
title Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)
title_full Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)
title_fullStr Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)
title_full_unstemmed Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)
title_short Molecular and Serological Findings in Sheep During Two <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> Outbreaks in Sicily (Southern Italy)
title_sort molecular and serological findings in sheep during two i coxiella burnetii i outbreaks in sicily southern italy
topic <i>Coxiella burnetii</i>
sheep
outbreak
prevention
raw milk
Sicily
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/22/3321
work_keys_str_mv AT valeriablanda molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT giuseppinachiarenza molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT ileniagiacchino molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT sergiomigliore molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT santinadibella molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT francescolarussa molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT valeriavaglica molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT rosaliadagostino molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT francescaarcuri molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT carmelasciacca molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT marilenaalfano molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT nataliasciortino molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT alessandratorina molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT francescagrippi molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly
AT domenicovicari molecularandserologicalfindingsinsheepduringtwoicoxiellaburnetiiioutbreaksinsicilysouthernitaly