Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in human and sheep in Al-Diwaniyah province by Real Time- PCR

Abstract

Background: Iraq is agricultural country, but the important aspect of livestock shown by most of the studies conducted in previous years, which dealt with Q fever infection in animals ( cattle, sheep and goat ) strikingly. Q fever it is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Coxiella burentii .
Material and methods: One hundred and five (105), human samples used in the study were (50) (22 sputum/28 bronchial-alveolar lavage) collected from Teaching Hospital and Center Pulmonology and Respiratory Specialist in Al-Diwaniyah. Collected sheep samples were (55) Sample (28 nasopharyngeal swabs and 27 bronchial fluids) from the slaughterhouse of Al-Diwaniya during January – august 2016. All samples were collected from peoples & sheep that suffer from clear respiratory signs. By using Sybr Green Real Time- PCR technique the samples tested directly.
Results: showed that the infection incidence in humans (16%) and in sheep (38.181%), the study proved that there were a significant differences at the site of infection in the respiratory tract (URT& LRT) for humans and sheep alike, as well as in terms of age groups and gender.
Conclusions: Q fever is a serious disease circulating between peoples in Al-Diwaniyah city and clearly defined risk groups: people with respiratory infection, heart and vascular disease, immunosuppressed patients and distributed in sheep that have respiratory disorder. Real Time –PCR is a potential tool to diagnosis of C. burnetii in humans and animals, because of its rapid and sensitive detection.