Abortion Caused by Coxiella burnetii in a Cow and Goat in Korea

Abstract

Q fever is a zoonosis caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium. Q fever is usually subclinical, but is occasionally associated with abortion in ruminants. Two cases of abortion, one in a goat and the other in a cow, were reported to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency for diagnostic testing. Histologically, suppurative placentitis was apparent in both cases and more severe in the goat than in the cow. C. burnetii antigens were detected by polymerase chain reaction of DNA from various tissue extracts and antibodies were detected in the sera in both cases. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bovine and caprine abortion caused by C. burnetii in South Korea.