Dorko Erik, Rimárová Kvetoslava, Pilipèinec Emil, Trávnièek Milan
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safárik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic.
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2009;16(2):321-4.
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular agent that causes Q fever in humans and animals. The most important reservoirs of C. burnetii in nature are small wild rodents, but infection was also demonstrated in other animals, including ruminants. Samples of blood were obtained from 4 mouflons, 60 fallow deer, 9 Cameroun goats, 8 Carpathian goats, and 8 Cameroun sheep living in a zoo. Antibodies to phase I and phase II C. burnetii antigens were determined in sera by ELISA. Antibody titres were detected in the range 1:100-1:200. The serum prevalence of phase II and phase I antibodies to C. burnetii antigens was 25% and 0% in mouflons, 70% and 0% in goats, 37.5% and 12.5% in sheep and 28.3% and 5% in fallow deer, resp. Serologic diagnosis of Q fever in animals can be difficult. Some animals may shed C. burnetii and pose a risk for infection prior to the development of antibodies, and some infected animals never seroconvert. The employed ELISA test is a very sensitive assay for C. burnetii, but it is also a labour intensive method and therefore not routinely available.
伯纳特柯克斯体是一种专性细胞内病原体，可引起人类和动物的Q热。自然界中伯纳特柯克斯体最重要的宿主是小型野生啮齿动物，但在包括反刍动物在内的其他动物中也证实有感染情况。从生活在动物园的4只摩弗伦羊、60只黇鹿、9只喀麦隆山羊、8只喀尔巴阡山羊和8只喀麦隆绵羊采集血液样本。通过酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）法测定血清中针对伯纳特柯克斯体I相和II相抗原的抗体。检测到的抗体效价范围为1:100至1:200。摩弗伦羊中针对伯纳特柯克斯体抗原的II相和I相抗体的血清阳性率分别为25%和0%，山羊中分别为70%和0%，绵羊中分别为37.5%和12.5%，黇鹿中分别为28.3%和5%。动物Q热的血清学诊断可能很困难。一些动物在抗体产生之前可能会排出伯纳特柯克斯体并构成感染风险，而且一些受感染动物从不发生血清转化。所采用的ELISA检测法对伯纳特柯克斯体是一种非常敏感的检测方法，但也是一种劳动强度大的方法，因此不能常规使用。
