Seroprevalence of Q Fever among Dairy Cattle in Nongpho Sub-district, Ratchaburi Province, Thailand, 2015

Abstract

Abstract
Q fever, a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, is an important occupational health risk for livestock farmers, veterinarians and public health officers. However, information about Q fever was limited in Nongpho Sub-district which had the highest dairy cattle density in Ratchaburi Province. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of antibody against C. burnetii among dairy cattle in Nongpho Sub-district. Serum samples were collected from all 10 villages of the sub-district during 21 April to 26 May 2015, including a total of conveniently selected 135 cattle in 27 dairy farms. The sera were tested for antibody against C. burnetii using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An investigation team administered a structured questionnaire to collect information of the seropositive herds. The seroprevalence of individual cattle was 5.2% while seroprevalence at the herd level was 25.9%. Among the seropositive farms, farmers had limited knowledge and practices on biosecurity and sanitation. Animal health authority should develop an integrated strategy to improve biosecurity and sanitation practice in dairy cattle farms.
 
Keywords: Q fever, dairy cattle, seroprevalence, Nongpho Sub-district, Thailand