Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain
Coxiella burnetii , the causal agent of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis, is a zoonotic infectious bacterium with a complex ecology that results from its ability to replicate in multiple (in)vertebrate host species. Spain notifies the highest number of Q fever cases to the ECDC annually and wild...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:097e1d3d019348bdb775c14cc0a74c19 2024-01-07T09:44:49+01:00 Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain David González-Barrio Isabel Jado Javier Viñuela Jesús T. García Pedro P. Olea Fernando Arce Francisco Ruiz-Fons 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030654 https://doaj.org/article/097e1d3d019348bdb775c14cc0a74c19 EN eng MDPI AG https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/3/654 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615 doi:10.3390/ani11030654 2076-2615 https://doaj.org/article/097e1d3d019348bdb775c14cc0a74c19 Animals, Vol 11, Iss 3, p 654 (2021) micromammals Coxiella burnetii Q fever zoonosis Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030654 2023-12-10T01:48:48Z Coxiella burnetii , the causal agent of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis, is a zoonotic infectious bacterium with a complex ecology that results from its ability to replicate in multiple (in)vertebrate host species. Spain notifies the highest number of Q fever cases to the ECDC annually and wildlife plays a relevant role in C. burnetii ecology in the country. However, the whole picture of C. burnetii hosts is incomplete, so this study seeks to better understand the role of micromammals in C. burnetii ecology in the country. Spleen samples from 816 micromammals of 10 species and 130 vaginal swabs from Microtus arvalis were analysed by qPCR to detect C. burnetii infection and shedding, respectively. The 9.7% of the spleen samples were qPCR positive. The highest infection prevalence (10.8%) was found in Microtus arvalis , in which C. burnetii DNA was also detected in 1 of the 130 vaginal swabs (0.8%) analysed. Positive samples were also found in Apodemus sylvaticus (8.7%), Crocidura russula (7.7%) and Rattus rattus (6.4%). Positive samples were genotyped by coupling PCR with reverse line blotting and a genotype II+ strain was identified for the first time in one of the positive samples from M. arvalis , whereas only partial results could be obtained for the rest of the samples. Acute Q fever was diagnosed in one of the researchers that participated in the study, and it was presumably linked to M. arvalis handling. The results of the study are consistent with previous findings suggesting that micromammals can be infected by C. burnetii . Our findings additionally suggest that micromammals may be potential sources to trace back the origin of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis cases in Europe. Article in Journal/Newspaper Microtus arvalis Rattus rattus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Animals 11 3 654 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
micromammals Coxiella burnetii Q fever zoonosis Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 |
spellingShingle |
micromammals Coxiella burnetii Q fever zoonosis Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 David González-Barrio Isabel Jado Javier Viñuela Jesús T. García Pedro P. Olea Fernando Arce Francisco Ruiz-Fons Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain |
topic_facet |
micromammals Coxiella burnetii Q fever zoonosis Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 |
description |
Coxiella burnetii , the causal agent of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis, is a zoonotic infectious bacterium with a complex ecology that results from its ability to replicate in multiple (in)vertebrate host species. Spain notifies the highest number of Q fever cases to the ECDC annually and wildlife plays a relevant role in C. burnetii ecology in the country. However, the whole picture of C. burnetii hosts is incomplete, so this study seeks to better understand the role of micromammals in C. burnetii ecology in the country. Spleen samples from 816 micromammals of 10 species and 130 vaginal swabs from Microtus arvalis were analysed by qPCR to detect C. burnetii infection and shedding, respectively. The 9.7% of the spleen samples were qPCR positive. The highest infection prevalence (10.8%) was found in Microtus arvalis , in which C. burnetii DNA was also detected in 1 of the 130 vaginal swabs (0.8%) analysed. Positive samples were also found in Apodemus sylvaticus (8.7%), Crocidura russula (7.7%) and Rattus rattus (6.4%). Positive samples were genotyped by coupling PCR with reverse line blotting and a genotype II+ strain was identified for the first time in one of the positive samples from M. arvalis , whereas only partial results could be obtained for the rest of the samples. Acute Q fever was diagnosed in one of the researchers that participated in the study, and it was presumably linked to M. arvalis handling. The results of the study are consistent with previous findings suggesting that micromammals can be infected by C. burnetii . Our findings additionally suggest that micromammals may be potential sources to trace back the origin of human Q fever and animal Coxiellosis cases in Europe. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
David González-Barrio Isabel Jado Javier Viñuela Jesús T. García Pedro P. Olea Fernando Arce Francisco Ruiz-Fons |
author_facet |
David González-Barrio Isabel Jado Javier Viñuela Jesús T. García Pedro P. Olea Fernando Arce Francisco Ruiz-Fons |
author_sort |
David González-Barrio |
title |
Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain |
title_short |
Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain |
title_full |
Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain |
title_fullStr |
Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain |
title_full_unstemmed |
Investigating the Role of Micromammals in the Ecology of Coxiella burnetii in Spain |
title_sort |
investigating the role of micromammals in the ecology of coxiella burnetii in spain |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030654 https://doaj.org/article/097e1d3d019348bdb775c14cc0a74c19 |
genre |
Microtus arvalis Rattus rattus |
genre_facet |
Microtus arvalis Rattus rattus |
op_source |
Animals, Vol 11, Iss 3, p 654 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/3/654 https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615 doi:10.3390/ani11030654 2076-2615 https://doaj.org/article/097e1d3d019348bdb775c14cc0a74c19 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030654 |
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Animals |
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11 |
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3 |
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654 |
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