Detection of Coxiella burnetii in biological samples from aborted ruminants' material

• Grant number: 24/06981-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Pathology
• Principal Investigator: Lilian Gregory
• Grantee: Arthur Cobayashi Guerra
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Coxiellosis is an infectious disease with zoonotic character and worldwide distribution, considered emerging or reemerging in various countries, but with few reports of its occurrence in Brazil. Its etiological agent, Coxiella burnetii, is an obligatory intracellular gram-negative bacterium highly resistant in the environment, capable of infecting a wide range of hosts, including domestic ruminants. In these animals, C. burnetii can cause reproductive disorders, negatively affecting the herd's health, performance, and consequently, profitability. In humans, it can range from mild flu-like symptoms to endocarditis, pneumonia, hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, and spontaneous abortion. Therefore, it is important to deepen studies on this disease to mitigate its still poorly analyzed effects on Brazilian livestock and public health. This study aims to evaluate the presence of Coxiella burnetii in 150 biological samples from ruminants' aborted material from the Instituto Biológico de São Paulo, negative for other reproductive diseases such as brucellosis, bovine viral diarrhea, neosporosis, toxoplasmosis, and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis. Diagnosis will be performed using quantitative PCR technique with the commercial kit EXOone Coxiella burnetii®.