TY - JOUR
T1 - Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) prevalence in associated populations of humans and small ruminants in The Gambia
AU - Bok, Jeroen
AU - Hogerwerf, L.
AU - Germeraad, Eveline A.
AU - Roest, H.I.J.
AU - Faye-Joof, Tisbeh
AU - Jeng, M.
AU - Nwakanma, D.
AU - Secka, A.
AU - Stegeman, A.
AU - Goossens, B.
AU - Wegmüller, Rita
AU - van der Sande, M.T.
AU - Hoek, W.
AU - Secka, A.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Objectives
To simultaneously estimate the prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) among adults and small ruminants, and C. burnetii shedding prevalence among small ruminants in households in the Kiang West district of The Gambia; and to assess associated risk factors.
Methods
Sera of 599 adults and 615 small ruminants from 125 compounds within 12 villages were tested for antibodies against C. burnetii using ELISA. Vaginal swabs and milk samples of 155 small ruminants were tested using PCR to investigate shedding of C. burnetii.
Results
3.8% to 9.7% of adults, depending on ELISA test cutoff, and 24.9% of small ruminants in Kiang West were seropositive. Having at least one seropositive animal in one's compound was a risk factor for human seropositivity (OR 3.35, 95% CI: 1.09-14.44). A grazing area within a village was a risk factor for seropositivity in small ruminants (OR 2.07, 95% CI: 1.26-3.50); others were having lambed (OR 2.75, 95% CI: 1.37-5.76), and older age of the animals (OR 2.75, 95% CI: 1.37-5.76 for 1-3 years and OR 5.84, 95% CI: 3.10-11.64 for >3 years). 57.4% of sampled small ruminants were shedding C. burnetii.
Conclusion
C. burnetii infection is endemic among both humans and small ruminants in this area of The Gambia. Human and animal exposure to C. burnetii were related at compound-level. Further research into the clinical relevance of C. burnetii infection in West Africa is needed.
AB - Objectives
To simultaneously estimate the prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) among adults and small ruminants, and C. burnetii shedding prevalence among small ruminants in households in the Kiang West district of The Gambia; and to assess associated risk factors.
Methods
Sera of 599 adults and 615 small ruminants from 125 compounds within 12 villages were tested for antibodies against C. burnetii using ELISA. Vaginal swabs and milk samples of 155 small ruminants were tested using PCR to investigate shedding of C. burnetii.
Results
3.8% to 9.7% of adults, depending on ELISA test cutoff, and 24.9% of small ruminants in Kiang West were seropositive. Having at least one seropositive animal in one's compound was a risk factor for human seropositivity (OR 3.35, 95% CI: 1.09-14.44). A grazing area within a village was a risk factor for seropositivity in small ruminants (OR 2.07, 95% CI: 1.26-3.50); others were having lambed (OR 2.75, 95% CI: 1.37-5.76), and older age of the animals (OR 2.75, 95% CI: 1.37-5.76 for 1-3 years and OR 5.84, 95% CI: 3.10-11.64 for >3 years). 57.4% of sampled small ruminants were shedding C. burnetii.
Conclusion
C. burnetii infection is endemic among both humans and small ruminants in this area of The Gambia. Human and animal exposure to C. burnetii were related at compound-level. Further research into the clinical relevance of C. burnetii infection in West Africa is needed.
U2 - 10.1111/tmi.12827
DO - 10.1111/tmi.12827
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 323
EP - 331
JO - Tropical Medicine and International Health
JF - Tropical Medicine and International Health
SN - 1360-2276
IS - 3
ER -