Coxiella burnetii in humans and ticks in rural Senegal.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Q fever is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burnetii. Epidemiologically, animals are considered reservoirs and humans incidental hosts.

Methodology/principal findings

We investigated Q fever in rural Senegal. Human samples (e.g., sera, saliva, breast milk, feces) were screened in the generally healthy population of two villages of the Sine-Saloum region. Ticks were collected in four regions. Seroprevalence was studied by immunofluorescence, and all other samples were tested by two qPCR systems for detection of C. burnetii. Positive samples were genotyped (multispacer typing) by amplification and sequencing of three spacers. Strains were isolated by cell culture. We found that the seroprevalence may be as high as 24.5% (59 of 238 studied) in Dielmo v

SUBMITTER: Mediannikov O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2850317 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature