{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T19:02:21Z","timestamp":1791918141426,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":43,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,10]],"date-time":"2022-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1660089600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"a PhD grant in the Innovative PhD with industrial characterization program included in the 2014\u20132020 National Research and Innovation Operational Program of the Italian Ministry of University and Research","award":["DOT1318705"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["DOT1318705"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Due to its economic impact on livestock and its zoonotic effect, Q fever is a public and animal health problem. Information on this infection in Italy is presently supported by reports of reproductive problems in livestock farms and is, therefore, insufficient to properly understand the impact of the disease. This study aimed to describe for the first time the seroprevalence of Q fever in dairy cows and water buffalos in the Campania region (Southern Italy). A total of 424 dairy cattle and 214 water buffalo were tested using a commercial indirect ELISA kit. An overall seroprevalence of 11.7% confirmed the wide distribution of C. burnetii in this region. Several factors were positively associated with higher seroprevalence, such as species (higher in cattle than in water buffalo), age, and coexistence with other ruminant species. The final model of logistic regression included only age (older) and species (cattle), which were positively associated with the presence of Q fever antibodies. Our findings support the widespread presence of Coxiella burnettii in Campania and show a seroprevalence similar to that observed in previous studies in other Italian regions and European countries. Since human cases are typically linked to contact with infected ruminants, there is a need to improve surveillance for this infection.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens11080901","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,10]],"date-time":"2022-08-10T09:42:56Z","timestamp":1660124576000},"page":"901","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Serological Evidence of Q Fever among Dairy Cattle and Buffalo Populations in the Campania Region, Italy"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5837-7976","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gianmarco","family":"Ferrara","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples, \u201cFederico II\u201d, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Barbara","family":"Colitti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ugo","family":"Pagnini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples, \u201cFederico II\u201d, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2903-4039","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Danila","family":"D\u2019Angelo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples, \u201cFederico II\u201d, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Iovane","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples, \u201cFederico II\u201d, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8315-0316","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sergio","family":"Rosati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Largo Paolo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5569-8774","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Serena","family":"Montagnaro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples, \u201cFederico II\u201d, Via Delpino 1, 80137 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"518","DOI":"10.1128\/CMR.12.4.518","article-title":"Q Fever","volume":"12","author":"Maurin","year":"1999","journal-title":"Clin. Microbiol. Rev."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"297","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2009.07.016","article-title":"Q Fever","volume":"140","author":"Angelakis","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1051\/vetres:2005010","article-title":"Is Q Fever an Emerging or Re-Emerging Zoonosis?","volume":"36","author":"Rodolakis","year":"2005","journal-title":"Vet. Res."},{"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":"27","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2013.06.002","article-title":"Economic Assessment of Q Fever in the Netherlands","volume":"112","author":"Prins","year":"2013","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Saegerman, C., Gr\u00e9goire, F., and Delooz, L. (2022). Diagnosis of Coxiella burnetii Cattle Abortion: A One-Year Observational Study. Pathogens, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens11040429"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268810002268","article-title":"The Q Fever Epidemic in the Netherlands: History, Onset, Response and Reflection","volume":"139","author":"Roest","year":"2011","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"E232","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268820001880","article-title":"Coxiella Burnetii Infection in Humans: To What Extent Do Cattle in Infected Areas Free from Small Ruminants Play a Role?","volume":"148","author":"Pouquet","year":"2020","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Huang, M., Ma, J., Jiao, J., Li, C., Chen, L., Zhu, Z., Ruan, F., Xing, L., Zheng, X., and Fu, M. (2021). The Epidemic of q Fever in 2018 to 2019 in Zhuhai City of China Determined by Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis., 15.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0009520"},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (2021). Q fever. Annual Epidemiological Report for 2019, ECDC."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268804003383","article-title":"An Outbreak of Q Fever in a Prison in Italy","volume":"133","author":"Starnini","year":"2005","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00145305","article-title":"Investigation of a Q-fever outbreak in northern Italy","volume":"12","author":"Selvaggi","year":"1996","journal-title":"Eur. J. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_13","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_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268819002115","article-title":"Cross-Sectional Serosurvey of Coxiella burnetii in Healthy Cattle and Sheep from Extensive Grazing System in Central Italy","volume":"148","author":"Barlozzari","year":"2020","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2004.01.006","article-title":"Occurrence, Distribution, and Role in Abortion of Coxiella burnetii in Sheep and Goats in Sardinia, Italy","volume":"99","author":"Masala","year":"2004","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"265","article-title":"Q Fever and Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Domestic Ruminants","volume":"54","author":"Pexara","year":"2018","journal-title":"Vet. Ital."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2010.10.007","article-title":"Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Domestic Ruminants: A Critical Review","volume":"149","author":"Guatteo","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"247","article-title":"Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Dairy Cattle from Sicily","volume":"55","author":"Galluzzo","year":"2019","journal-title":"Vet. Ital."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rvsc.2009.01.005","article-title":"Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Buffaloes Aborted Fetuses by IS111 DNA Amplification: A Preliminary Report","volume":"87","author":"Perugini","year":"2009","journal-title":"Res. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"669","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.149.22.669","article-title":"Influence of Three Types of Farm Management on the Seroprevalence of Q Fever as Assessed by an Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay","volume":"149","author":"Capuano","year":"2001","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"646","DOI":"10.1177\/10406387221093581","article-title":"Characterization of Recombinant Ybgf Protein for the Detection of Coxiella Antibodies in Ruminants","volume":"34","author":"Ferrara","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Vet. Diagn. Investig."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e260","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268820002447","article-title":"Risk Factors for an Infection with Coxiella burnetii in German Sheep Flocks","volume":"148","author":"Wolf","year":"2020","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ruiz-Fons, F., Astobiza, I., Barandika, J.F., Hurtado, A., Atxaerandio, R., Juste, R.A., and Garc\u00eda-P\u00e9rez, A.L. (2010). Seroepidemiological study of Q fever in domestic ruminants in semi-extensive grazing systems. BMC Vet. Res., 6.","DOI":"10.1186\/1746-6148-6-3"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"276","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2007.01.005","article-title":"Report of a Serological Study of Coxiella Burnetii in Domestic Animals in Albania","volume":"175","author":"Papa","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet. J."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"21","DOI":"10.1017\/S0950268809002854","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii (Q Fever) Seroprevalence in Cattle","volume":"138","author":"Mccaughey","year":"2010","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Infect."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"369","DOI":"10.4149\/av_2017_318","article-title":"Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii among domestic ruminants and horses in Poland","volume":"61","author":"Pluta","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Virol."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"79","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.c6106","article-title":"Paper: Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Dutch Dairy Herds Based on Testing Bulk Tank Milk and Individual Samples by PCR and ELISA","volume":"168","author":"Muskens","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Klemmer, J., Njeru, J., Emam, A., El-Sayed, A., Moawad, A.A., Henning, K., Elbeskawy, M.A., Sauter-Louis, C., Straubinger, R.K., and Neubauer, H. (2018). Q Fever in Egypt: Epidemiological Survey of Coxiella burnetii Specific Antibodies in Cattle, Buffaloes, Sheep, Goats and Camels. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0192188"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2019.03.022","article-title":"Coxiella Seroprevalence and Risk Factors in Large Ruminants in Bihar and Assam, India","volume":"194","author":"Shome","year":"2019","journal-title":"Acta Trop."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2574","DOI":"10.14202\/vetworld.2021.2574-2578","article-title":"The First Report of Seroprevalence of Q Fever in Water Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Phatthalung, Thailand","volume":"14","author":"Kidsin","year":"2021","journal-title":"Vet. World"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2019.03.003","article-title":"Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in Cattle and Buffalo Populations in Punjab, India","volume":"166","author":"Keshavamurthy","year":"2019","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dhaka, P., Malik, S.V.S., Yadav, J.P., Kumar, M., Barbuddhe, S.B., and Rawool, D.B. (2020). Apparent Prevalence and Risk Factors of Coxiellosis (Q Fever) among Dairy Herds in India. PLoS ONE, 15.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0239260"},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1186\/s13028-014-0046-2","article-title":"Increasing Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Seropositive Danish Dairy Cattle Herds","volume":"56","author":"Agger","year":"2014","journal-title":"Acta Vet. Scand."},{"key":"ref_34","unstructured":"Schimmer, B. (2018). Dutch Q Fever Epidemic in a \u201cOne Health\u201d Context: Outbreaks, Seroprevalence and Occupational Risks. [Master\u2019s Thesis, Utrecht University]."},{"key":"ref_35","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_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"654","DOI":"10.1007\/s11686-020-00324-w","article-title":"Coxiellaceae in Ticks from Human, Domestic and Wild Hosts from Sardinia, Italy: High Diversity of Coxiella-like Endosymbionts","volume":"66","author":"Chisu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Acta Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ebani, V.V. (2020). Retrospective Study on the Occurrence of Antibodies against Coxiella burnetii in Dogs from Central Italy. Pathogens, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens9121068"},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"87","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijppaw.2019.07.008","article-title":"Molecular survey on the occurrence of avian haemosporidia, Coxiella burnetii and Francisella tularensis in waterfowl from central Italy","volume":"10","author":"Ebani","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Parasitol. Parasites Wildl."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"441","DOI":"10.2478\/jvetres-2021-0055","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii DNA in Milk, Milk Products, and Fermented Dairy Products","volume":"65","author":"Valkovska","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Vet. Res."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.1089\/vbz.2017.2107","article-title":"Detection of Coxiella burnetii in Urban River Water","volume":"17","author":"Sdanganelli","year":"2017","journal-title":"Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"591","DOI":"10.1638\/2007-0043R1.1","article-title":"Serologic and molecular characterization of tickborne pathogens in lions (Panthera leo) from the Fasano Safari Park, Italy","volume":"38","author":"Torina","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Zoo Wildl. Med."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"901","DOI":"10.13075\/ijomeh.1896.00448","article-title":"Seroprevalence and occupational risk survey for Coxiella burnetii among exposed workers in Sicily, Southern Italy","volume":"28","author":"Fenga","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Occup. Med. Environ. Health"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"539573","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2020.539573","article-title":"Sample Size Estimation in Veterinary Epidemiologic Research","volume":"7","author":"Stevenson","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Vet. Sci."}],"container-title":["Pathogens"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/11\/8\/901\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:06:49Z","timestamp":1760141209000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/11\/8\/901"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,10]]},"references-count":43,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8]]}},"alternative-id":["pathogens11080901"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pathogens11080901","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-0817"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-0817","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,10]]}}}