{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T01:20:25Z","timestamp":1760145625124,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"15","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,2]],"date-time":"2024-08-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1722556800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Coxiella burnetii is the causative agent of Q fever. The main reservoirs for this bacterium, which can lead to human infection, in our region are typically cattle, goats, and sheep. In animals, C. burnetii infection is often detected due to reproductive problems. European Member States are required to report confirmed cases annually, but the lack of uniform reporting methods makes the data rather inconsistent. The Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell\u2019Abruzzo e del Molise is involved in official controls to identify the causes of abortions, monitor suspected or positive herds, evaluate suspected infections in pets and humans, monitor the spread in wildlife, etc. In this paper, we summarize the presence of C. burnetii over the last five years (2019\u20132023). Additionally, a detailed overview of C. burnetii infection in wild and domestic animals is provided. Five hundred sixty animals\u2014including cattle; goats; sheep; wild animals, such as deer, boars, wolves, roe deer, owls, and otters; buffalo; dogs; horses; cats; and a donkey\u2014and six human samples were tested by real-time PCR on the transposase gene IS1111 to detect C. burnetii. The MST profile was identified in some of the samples. Outbreaks of C. burnetii occurred in four herds. In one of them, it was possible to follow the outbreak from inception to eradication by evaluating the effect of vaccination on real-time PCR Ct values. A total of 116 animals tested positive for C. burnetii, including 73 goats, 42 sheep, and one bovine. None of the other samples tested positive. The strains for which the ST was performed were identified as ST79, a strain that has been present in the area for more than ten years. The effect of vaccination on the reduction of positive samples and the variation of real-time PCR Ct values was evaluated in strict correlation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14152248","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,2]],"date-time":"2024-08-02T13:14:42Z","timestamp":1722604482000},"page":"2248","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Coxiella burnetii: A Brief Summary of the Last Five Years of Its Presence in the Abruzzo and Molise Regions in Italy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0285-5710","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alessandra","family":"Alessiani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4795-8323","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Di Domenico","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9225-9727","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daniela","family":"Averaimo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cinzia","family":"Pompilii","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Rulli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4411-618X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonio","family":"Cocco","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Laura","family":"Lomellini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Antonio","family":"Coccaro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maria Chiara","family":"Cantelmi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Carmine","family":"Merola","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"},{"name":"Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food and Environment, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8498-0613","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elga Ersilia","family":"Tieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gianfranco","family":"Romeo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Barbara","family":"Secondini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Marfoglia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9595-782X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giovanni","family":"Di Teodoro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2089-4123","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Antonio","family":"Petrini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale di Abruzzo e Molise \u201cG. Caporale\u201d, 64100 Teramo, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Basanisi, M.G., La Bella, G., Nobili, G., Raele, D.A., Cafiero, M.A., Coppola, R., Damato, A.M., Fraccalvieri, R., Sottili, R., and La Salandra, G. (2022). Detection of Coxiella burnetii DNA in sheep and goat milk and dairy products by droplet digital PCR in south Italy. Int. J. Food Microbiol., 366.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109583"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1016\/j.micinf.2019.09.001","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii: International pathogen of mystery","volume":"22","author":"Dragan","year":"2020","journal-title":"Microbes Infect."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"710","DOI":"10.1089\/vbz.2014.1587","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii in central Italy: Novel genotypes are circulating in cattle and goats","volume":"14","author":"Curini","year":"2014","journal-title":"Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.00045-16","article-title":"From Q Fever to Coxiella burnetii Infection: A Paradigm Change","volume":"30","author":"Eldin","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clin. Microbiol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3131","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268817002308","article-title":"Estimation of the frequency of Q fever in sheep, goat and cattle herds in France: Results of a 3-year study of the seroprevalence of Q fever and excretion level of Coxiella burnetii in abortive episodes","volume":"145","author":"Gache","year":"2017","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1697","DOI":"10.1128\/AEM.03472-12","article-title":"Presence and Persistence of Coxiella burnetii in the Environments of Goat Farms Associated with a Q Fever Outbreak","volume":"79","author":"Kersh","year":"2013","journal-title":"Appl. Environ. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"93","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rvsc.2003.09.001","article-title":"Q fever (coxiellosis): Epidemiology and pathogenesis","volume":"77","author":"Woldehiwet","year":"2004","journal-title":"Res. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2016.05.014","article-title":"Q fever seroprevalence and risk factors in sheep and goats in northwest Italy","volume":"130","author":"Rizzo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1080\/14787210.2020.1699055","article-title":"New insights in Coxiella burnetii infection: Diagnosis and therapeutic update","volume":"18","author":"Melenotte","year":"2020","journal-title":"Expert Rev. Anti-Infective Ther."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"K\u00f6rner, S., Makert, G.R., Ulbert, S., Pfeffer, M., and Mertens-Scholz, K. (2021). The Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Hard Ticks in Europe and Their Role in Q Fever Transmission Revisited\u2014A Systematic Review. Front. Vet. Sci., 8.","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2021.655715"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roest, H.-J., van Gelderen, B., Dinkla, A., Frangoulidis, D., van Zijderveld, F., Rebel, J., and van Keulen, L. (2012). Q fever in pregnant goats: Pathogenesis and excretion of Coxiella burnetii. PLoS ONE, 7.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0048949"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Anast\u00e1cio, S., de Sousa, S.R., Saavedra, M.J., and da Silva, G.J. (2022). Role of Goats in the Epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii. Biology, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/biology11121703"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abdallah, R.A., Million, M., Delerce, J., Anani, H., Diop, A., Caputo, A., Zgheib, R., Rousset, E., Boumedine, K.S., and Raoult, D. (2022). Pangenomic analysis of Coxiella burnetii unveils new traits in genome architecture. Front. Microbiol., 13.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmicb.2022.1022356"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sing, A. (2023). Q Fever (Coxiella burnetii). Zoonoses: Infections Affecting Humans and Animals, Springer International Publishing.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-27164-9"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1099\/jmm.0.024778-0","article-title":"Davies CY2. Q fever: The neglected biothreat agent","volume":"60","author":"Oyston","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Med. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"671","DOI":"10.1016\/j.micinf.2009.04.005","article-title":"Inhibition of the human neutrophil NADPH oxidase by Coxiella burnetii","volume":"11","author":"Siemsen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Microbes Infect."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"919","DOI":"10.2217\/fmb-2016-0044","article-title":"Right on Q: Genetics begin to unravel Coxiella burnetii host cell interactions","volume":"11","author":"Larson","year":"2016","journal-title":"Futur. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_18","unstructured":"The Euopean Commission (2024, January 24). Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020\/2002 of 7 December 2020 Laying down Rules for the Application of Regulation (EU) 2016\/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council with Regard to Union Notification and Union Reporting of Listed Diseases, to Formats and Procedures for Submission and Reporting of Union Surveillance Programmes and of Eradication Programmes and for Application for Recognition of Disease-Free Status, and to the Computerised Information System. 8 December 2020. Available online: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/eli\/reg_impl\/2020\/2002\/oj."},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_19.1","unstructured":"The European Commission (2018). Commission Implementing Regulation"},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_19.2","unstructured":"(EU) 2018\/1882 of 3 December 2018 on the application of certain disease prevention and control rules to categories of listed diseases and establishing a list of species and groups of species posing a considerable risk for the spread of those listed diseases. J. Eur. Union, 308, 1-9."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) (2023). The European Union One Health 2022 Zoonoses Report. EFSA J., 21, e8442.","DOI":"10.2903\/j.efsa.2023.8442"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1211","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1108.041354","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii genotyping","volume":"11","author":"Glazunova","year":"2005","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Di Domenico, M., Curini, V., Di Lollo, V., Massimini, M., Di Gialleonardo, L., Franco, A., Caprioli, A., Battisti, A., and Camm\u00e0, C. (2018). Genetic diversity of Coxiella burnetii in domestic ruminants in central Italy. BMC Vet. Res., 14.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-018-1499-8"},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"(2024, January 24). Regulation (EU) 2017\/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on Official Controls and Other Official Activities Performed to Ensure the Application of Food and Feed Law, Rules on Animal Health and Welfare, Plant Health and Plant Protection Products (2017). Available online: https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/eli\/reg\/2017\/625\/oj."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1762","DOI":"10.1002\/vms3.510","article-title":"Molecular detection of Theileria sergentii\/orientalis\/buffeli and Ehrlichia canis from aborted ovine and caprine products in Sardinia, Italy","volume":"7","author":"Chisu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100604","DOI":"10.1016\/j.onehlt.2023.100604","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii outbreak, Northern Italy 2021","volume":"17","author":"Chiesa","year":"2023","journal-title":"One Health"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Williams-Macdonald, S.E., Mitchell, M., Frew, D., Palarea-Albaladejo, J., Ewing, D., Golde, W.T., Longbottom, D., Nisbet, A.J., Livingstone, M., and Hamilton, C.M. (2023). Efficacy of Phase I and Phase II Coxiella burnetii Bacterin Vaccines in a Pregnant Ewe Challenge Model. Vaccines, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/vaccines11030511"},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"200","article-title":"Vaccination of cattle against Q-fever","volume":"19","author":"Brezina","year":"1975","journal-title":"J. Hyg. Epidemiol. Microbiol. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"189","article-title":"Vaccination of dairy cattle against Q fever (Coxiella burneti): Results of field trials","volume":"38","author":"Biberstein","year":"1977","journal-title":"Am. J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_29","first-page":"781","article-title":"Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) investigations in dairy cattle: Persistence of antibodies after vaccination","volume":"36","author":"Behymer","year":"1975","journal-title":"Am. J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4392","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vaccine.2005.04.010","article-title":"Effect of vaccination with phase I and phase II Coxiella burnetii vaccines in pregnant goats","volume":"23","author":"Souriau","year":"2005","journal-title":"Vaccine"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"142","DOI":"10.1016\/j.meegid.2016.12.015","article-title":"Molecular epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii in French livestock reveals the existence of three main genotype clusters and suggests species-specific associations as well as regional stability","volume":"48","author":"Bailly","year":"2017","journal-title":"Infect. Genet. Evol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijfoodmicro.2016.08.008","article-title":"Occurrence of Coxiella burnetii in goat and ewe unpasteurized cheeses: Screening and genotyping","volume":"237","author":"Galiero","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Food Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1111\/zph.12791","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii in the environment: A systematic review and critical appraisal of sampling methods","volume":"68","author":"Abeykoon","year":"2021","journal-title":"Zoonoses Public Health"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"765","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.12-0212","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii DNA, But Not Viable Bacteria, in Dairy Products in France","volume":"88","author":"Eldin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_35","first-page":"e38031","article-title":"A Narrative Review of Q Fever in Europe","volume":"15","author":"Christodoulou","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"159","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1001.030467","article-title":"Q fever in Como, Northern Italy","volume":"10","author":"Santoro","year":"2004","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"193","article-title":"Q fever\u2014Still a query and underestimated infectious disease","volume":"46","year":"2002","journal-title":"Acta Virol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fran\u00e7a, D.A., Mioni, M.D., Fornazari, F., Rodrigues, N.J., Polido, L.R., Appolinario, C.M., Devid\u00e9 Ribeiro, B.L., de Lima Dur\u00e9, A.\u00cd., Silva, M.V.F., and Richini-Pereir, V.B. (2023). Comparison of Three Serologic Tests for the Detection of Anti-Coxiella burnetii Antibodies in Patients with Q Fever. Pathogens, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens12070873"}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/15\/2248\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T15:29:00Z","timestamp":1760110140000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/14\/15\/2248"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,2]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"15","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8]]}},"alternative-id":["ani14152248"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani14152248","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2076-2615"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,2]]}}}