Isolation of Coxiella burnetii from human sources.

A total of 153 human milk samples were subjected to Capillary Agglutination Test (CAT) for determination of C. burnetii antibodies using phase-I CAT antigen and 22 (14.37%) samples were found to be positive. Twenty two CAT positive milk samples were further processed for the isolation of C. burnetii. Of seven samples positive in first screening, only four revealed presence of C. burnetii by giving specific seroconversion in guineapigs. Similarly, 16 aborted placentas were processed for C. burnetii and three yielded morphological evidence for rickettsial bodies on first screening. However, only one of three samples positive in first screening showed presence of C. burnetii in aborted placentas by specific seroconversion in guineapigs. Isolation of C. burnetii from aborted human placenta is the first report from India.