Molecular investigation of Coxiella burnetii in the Middle and East Black Sea region in aborted bovine fetuses and investigation of the oxidant/antioxidant system.

Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) is a causative microorganism that causes the zoonotic Q fever disease, which is generally asymptomatic in animals, but causes reproductive issues such as abortion, stillbirth, and infertility. C. burnetii infection poses a threat to farm economies as it affects productivity in farm animals. The purpose of this research was to look into the incidence of Q fever in eight provinces in the Middle and East Black Sea region and to measure reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species as well as antioxidant levels in bovine aborted fetal livers infected with C. burnetii. The study material consisted 670 bovine aborted fetal liver samples delivered to Samsun Veterinary Control Institute from eight provinces between 2018 and 2021. C. burnetii was analyzed by PCR in these samples and 47 (7,01%) were positive while 623 negative. Nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) activities were analyzed by spectrophotometric method in both 47 positive samples and 40 negative samples as control group. In the C. burnetii positive and control groups, MDA levels were determined to be 2.46 ± 0.18 and 0.87 ± 0.07 nmol/ml, NO levels were determined to be 1.77 ± 0.12 and 1.09 ± 0.07 nmol/ml, and reduced GSH activity was determined to be 5.14 ± 0.33 and 6.62 ± 0.46 µg/dl, respectively. In C. burnetii positive fetal liver tissue, MDA and NO levels were higher than the control group, while reduced GSH levels were lower than the control group. As a result, C. burnetii caused changes in free radical level and antioxidant activity in bovine aborted fetus liver.

Molecular epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii detected in humans and domestic ruminants in Turkey.

Q fever is a zoonotic disease that is known to be widespread throughout the world by many researches since its discovery in 1935 and it is important in terms of animal and public health. Coxiella burnetii, which is the etiological agent of the disease, is an obligate intracellular pathogen. While the disease generally manifests itself with abortion in animals, disease manifests as atypical pneumonia or granulomatous hepatitis in the acute form and as endocarditis in the chronic form in humans. Its presence in Turkey has been shown with a large number of studies. The aim of this study was to show the genotypic relationship with MLVA analysis of C. burnetii samples found in cattle, sheep and goat samples in Erzurum and Samsun Veterinary Control Institutes and blood samples collected from humans with atypical pneumonia findings. In the study, MLVA analyses of 100 positive samples from 50 cows, 41 sheep and 9 goats from Northeast Anatolia and Black Sea regions and C. burnetii positive samples found in 6 individuals with atypical pneumonia were performed. As a result of the study, it was found that 106 C. burnetii samples had belong to 16 genotype groups. It was found that genotype XVI was the most prevalent among these groups and it was seen in both regions. In addition to this, genotype IX profile was the second largest group with 83.3% (5/6) of human samples. In this study, the genotypes common in the regions were determined and a data source was created for possible outbreaks.

Molecular investigation, isolation and phylogenetic analsysis of Coxiella burnetii from aborted fetus and ticks.

Q fever is a zoonotic infection threatening human health, causing abortions in cattle, sheep and goats. Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) also causes serious problems such as low birth weight, infertility. This study is the first exemplary for analysis of Q fever around Black Sea region in Turkey. In the study, a total of 270 aborted fetuses (171 cattle, 79 sheep, 20 goats) and 1069 tick samples were aimed to be searched by PCR method. C. burnetii DNA was detected in 8 (2.96 %) of 270 sheep specimens while it could not be found in cattle and goat specimens. 406 sample pools were created from 1069 tick samples (490 male, 579 female) collected from 254 farm animals (187 cattle, 54 sheep, 13 goats) and 11 of these were stated positive. Tick species determined as C. burnetii positive were Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma anoliticum excavatum, Hyalomma detritum and Boophilus annulatus. Agent isolation was carried out within embryonated eggs. Agents were stained with Giemsa and was showed. Sequence analysis was performed for TUR/SAM/coxiella_1 (MN917207) isolate and phylogenetic tree was created. This tree, created in compliance with IS1111 transposon gene, did not form different branches in regard to host affiliation (goat, sheep, tick, human) and geographical distribution. As a result, an important zoonotic agent, C. burnetii was diagnosed in sheep aborted fetuses and the infection was proved to have spread among sheep herds in Black Sea region. Besides, 4 separate tick species found in our region hosted the agent and were found important for infection.