Insights into the dynamics of endemic Coxiella burnetii infection in cattle by application of phase-specific ELISAs in an infected dairy herd

Jens Böttcher , Annette Vossen , Britta Janowetz , Michaela Alex , Armin Gangl , Andreas Randt , Norbert Meier

Serological diagnosis of acute and chronic Q fever in humans relies on detection of antibodies to phase I (PhI) and II (PhII) antigens of . Although phase-specific antigens are available, they are not yet used in ruminants as they are in humans. This study focuses on phase-specific serology as a tool for analysis of the dynamics of infection in cattle. As a prerequisite, sero-prevalence in Bavarian cattle (1) and sero-prevalences for age-groups (2) were determined by ELISA (CHEKIT Q-Fever; mix of PhI/PhII-antigen). Subsequently, phase-specific antigens were coated onto ELISA plates individually and tests were simultaneously applied in an endemically infected herd with about 90 dairy cows and 250 calves/heifers in April 2005, March 2006 and retrospectively in May and October 2004. From April 2005 onward, placentas were analysed for by PCR (3).

Mots clés: Q fever; serology; cattle; phase I; phase II

Domaines: Médecine vétérinaire et santé animale

Jens Böttcher, Annette Vossen, Britta Janowetz, Michaela Alex, Armin Gangl, et al.. Insights into the dynamics of endemic Coxiella burnetii infection in cattle by application of phase-specific ELISAs in an infected dairy herd. Veterinary Microbiology, 2011, 151 (3-4), pp.291. ⟨10.1016/j.vetmic.2011.03.007⟩. ⟨hal-00717096⟩