Molecular Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Vaginal Swab Samples from Sheep That Aborted.

Background: Coxiella burnetii , an obligate intracellular bacterium, is the etiological agent of Q fever in humans and one of the causes of abortion in small ruminants. Although coxiellosis is considered an exotic disease, there are a few reports in Mexico. Methods: The objective of this work was to determine the presence of C . burnetii DNA in vaginal samples from sheep that presented abortion and ram semen. A total of 180 vaginal exudate samples and 20 semen samples were obtained from five Central and Southern States of Mexico. Total DNA was extracted from vaginal swabs and C . burnetii was identified by PCR amplification and sequencing of the IS 1111 insertion sequence. Results and Conclusion: In total, 110 (110/180) vaginal samples and 12 (12/20) semen samples were positive for C . burnetii . This is the first report of C . burnetii in sheep that aborted and in ram semen in Mexico.