{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T03:26:20Z","timestamp":1790306780102,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,12]],"date-time":"2025-07-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752278400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pathogens"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The specific objectives of the current paper were the assessment of potential associations of weather conditions with the presence of Coxiella burnetii in the milk-tank of sheep and goat farms and the investigation for possible interactions between weather conditions and management practices on these farms. The presence of C. burnetii in milk-tank samples collected from 325 sheep flocks and 119 goat herds was assessed by means of a commercially available real-time PCR. Climatic variables present at the location of each farm were downloaded from \u2018The POWER Project\u2019. Univariable and multivariable analyses were carried out. Among the climatic variables assessed, only the average wind speed during the 15 days that preceded each visit was found to be a significant predictor for both sheep (p = 0.003) and goat (p = 0.034) farms. The current findings serve to provide information about the epidemiology of C. burnetii infections in small ruminant farms and the possibilities for contamination of the milk produced in these farms, which is important due to the zoonotic nature of the pathogen; these findings thus provide guidance to implement appropriate preventive measures.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pathogens14070686","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,15]],"date-time":"2025-07-15T09:45:52Z","timestamp":1752572752000},"page":"686","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["A Note on the Association Between Climatological Conditions and the Presence of Coxiella burnetii in the Milk-Tank of Dairy Sheep and Goat Farms in Greece"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Eleni I.","family":"Katsarou","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1842-5432","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Themistoklis","family":"Giannoulis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Animal Science, University of Thessaly, 41110 Larissa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Charalambia K.","family":"Michael","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Medicine, European University of Cyprus, Engomi, 2404 Nicosia, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Daphne T.","family":"Lianou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Natalia G. C.","family":"Vasileiou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Animal Science, University of Thessaly, 41110 Larissa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7578-4984","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nikolaos","family":"Solomakos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9533-0093","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Angeliki I.","family":"Katsafadou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Public and One Health, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2353-0835","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Vasia S.","family":"Mavrogianni","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dimitri\u03bfs C.","family":"Chatzopoulos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Veterinary Medicine, European University of Cyprus, Engomi, 2404 Nicosia, Cyprus"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"George C.","family":"Fthenakis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"T\u00fcfekci, H., and Sejian, V. (2023). Stress factors and their effects on productivity in sheep. Animals, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani13172769"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2016.11.019","article-title":"Effects of climate change on the occurrence and distribution of livestock diseases","volume":"137","author":"Bett","year":"2017","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Martin, W.B., and Aitken, I.D. (2000). Other infectious causes of abortion. Diseases of Sheep, Blackwell. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Winter, A.L. (2022). Coxiellosis in Animals. MSD Manual Veterinary Manual, Merck & Co.. Available online: https:\/\/www.msdvetmanual.com\/infectious-diseases\/coxiellosis\/coxiellosis-in-animals."},{"key":"ref_5","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_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tifs.2017.11.004","article-title":"Q fever and prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in milk","volume":"71","author":"Pexara","year":"2018","journal-title":"Trends Food Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ullah, Q., Jamil, T., Saqib, M., Iqbal, M., and Neubauer, H. (2022). Q Fever\u2014A Neglected Zoonosis. Microorganisms, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/microorganisms10081530"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"613","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1504.081612","article-title":"Multigenotype Q fever outbreak, the Netherlands","volume":"15","author":"Klaassen","year":"2009","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"795","DOI":"10.1016\/j.micinf.2015.08.008","article-title":"Pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor due to Coxiella burnetii. Case report and literature review","volume":"17","author":"Polo","year":"2015","journal-title":"Microbes Infect."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sireci, G., Badami, G.D., Di Liberto, D., Blanda, V., Grippi, F., Di Paola, L., Guercio, A., de la Fuente, J., and Torina, A. (2021). Recent advances on the innate immune response to Coxiella burnetii. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol., 11.","DOI":"10.3389\/fcimb.2021.754455"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1016\/j.vetmic.2015.07.011","article-title":"Coxiella burnetii infections in sheep or goats: An opinionated review","volume":"181","author":"Roest","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vet. Microbiol."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"385","article-title":"Q fever studies. XVIII. Presence of Coxiella burnetii in the birth fluids of naturally infected sheep","volume":"58","author":"Abinanti","year":"1953","journal-title":"Am. J. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2004.70.540","article-title":"Q fever in children in Greece","volume":"70","author":"Maltezou","year":"2004","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"585","DOI":"10.1111\/tbed.12423","article-title":"The effect of wind on Coxiella burnetii transmission between cattle herds: A mechanistic approach","volume":"64","author":"Nusinovici","year":"2017","journal-title":"Transbound. Emerg. Dis."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Clark, N.J., and Soares Magalh\u00e3es, R.J. (2018). Airborne geographical dispersal of Q fever from livestock holdings to human communities: A systematic review and critical appraisal of evidence. BMC Inf. Dis., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-018-3135-4"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"180","article-title":"A large outbreak of Q fever in the West Midlands: Windborne spread into a metropolitan area?","volume":"1","author":"Hawker","year":"1998","journal-title":"Commun. Dis. Public Health"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"de Bruin, A., van der Plaats, R., Janse, I., and van Rotterdam, B. (2011). Q Fever: The Answer Is Blowing in the Wind, Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu RIVM. RIVM Letter Report 330291005."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bauer, B.U., Knittler, M.R., Andrack, J., Berens, C., Camper, A., Christiansen, B., Fasemore, A.M., Fischer, S.F., Ganter, M., and K\u00f6rner, S. (2023). Interdisciplinary studies on Coxiella burnetii: From molecular to cellular, to host, to one health research. Int. J. Med. Microbiol., 313.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijmm.2023.151590"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mosikidi, K.N., Mphuthi, N.M., Mangena, M.L., Lazarus, D.D., Sirdar, M., and Gcebe, N. (2025). Coxiella burnetii (Q Fever) in small ruminants on farms in North West Province, South Africa. Vet. Sci., 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci12040315"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lianou, D.T., Giannoulis, T., Michael, C.K., Vasileiou, N.G.C., Petinaki, E., Katsafadou, A.I., Politis, A.P., Gougoulis, D.A., Papatsiros, V.G., and Papadopoulos, E. (2025). Detection of Coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk of dairy small ruminant farms in Greece. Foods, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/foods14030460"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Katsarou, E.I., Lianou, D.T., Papadopoulos, E., and Fthenakis, G.C. (2022). Long-term climatic changes in small ruminant farms in Greece and potential associations with animal health. Sustainability, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/su14031673"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"European Food Safety Authority (2014). Scientific opinion on the welfare risks related to the farming of sheep for wool, meat and milk production. EFSA J., 12, 3933\u20134060.","DOI":"10.2903\/j.efsa.2014.3933"},{"key":"ref_23","unstructured":"Puls, K. (2025, June 28). Reading Excel\u2019s Box and Whisker Chart. Available online: https:\/\/excelguru.ca\/reading-excels-box-and-whisker-chart\/."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roest, H.J., van Gelderen, B., Dinkla, A., Frangoulidis, D., van Zijderveld, F.G., 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_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1264","DOI":"10.3201\/eid1007.030724","article-title":"Wind in November, Q fever in December","volume":"10","author":"Amadei","year":"2004","journal-title":"Emerg. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_26","first-page":"e20160414","article-title":"Understanding heat stress in beef cattle","volume":"47","year":"2018","journal-title":"Rev. Bras. Zootec."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"555","DOI":"10.2527\/jas1986.622555x","article-title":"Management of transit-stress syndrome in cattle: Nutritional and environmental effects","volume":"62","author":"Hutcheson","year":"1986","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1982","DOI":"10.1242\/jeb.081067","article-title":"Environment, behavior and physiology: Do birds use barometric pressure to predict storms?","volume":"216","author":"Breuner","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Exp. Biol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kuzmenko, N.V., Tsyrlin, V.A., Pliss, M.G., and Galagudza, M.M. (2025). Health effects of atmospheric pressure fluctuations: A review of biometeorological research. Int. J. Biometeorol.","DOI":"10.1007\/s00484-025-02954-z"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"869","DOI":"10.1111\/zph.13168","article-title":"Molecular detection of Coxiella burnetii in ticks collected from animals and the environment in Uganda","volume":"71","author":"Eneku","year":"2024","journal-title":"Zoonoses Public Health"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3041","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cub.2023.06.021","article-title":"Static electricity passively attracts ticks onto hosts","volume":"33","author":"England","year":"2023","journal-title":"Curr. Biol."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.smallrumres.2019.08.010","article-title":"Effect of wind protection during winter on growing lambs in semi-arid tropical region","volume":"178","author":"De","year":"2019","journal-title":"Small Rumin. Res."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"979","DOI":"10.1038\/s41558-019-0622-6","article-title":"A reversal in global terrestrial stilling and its implications for wind energy production","volume":"9","author":"Zeng","year":"2019","journal-title":"Nat. Clim. Change"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2153","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2009-2586","article-title":"A comprehensive index for assessing environmental stress in animals","volume":"88","author":"Mader","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."}],"container-title":["Pathogens"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/14\/7\/686\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T18:08:59Z","timestamp":1760033339000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-0817\/14\/7\/686"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,12]]},"references-count":34,"journal-issue":{"issue":"7","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7]]}},"alternative-id":["pathogens14070686"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pathogens14070686","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-0817"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-0817","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,12]]}}}