Serological Evidence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Wild Animals in Japan

• Published in: Journal of wildlife diseases Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 481 - 484
• Main Authors: Ejercito, Castor Leo A., Cai, Lixun, Htwe, Khin Khin, Taki, Michihiro, Inoshima, Yasuo, Kondo, Taeko, Kano, Chiaki, Abe, Satomi, Shirota, Kazutoshi, Sugimoto, Tomoaki, Yamaguchi, Tsuyoshi, Fukushi, Hideto, Minamoto, Nobuyuki, Kinjo, Toshio, Isogai, Emiko, Hirai, Katsuya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wildlife Disease Association 01.07.1993; Wildlife Dis Assoc
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Wild; Antibodies, Bacterial - blood; Carnivora; Coxiella burnetii; Coxiella burnetii - immunology; Deer; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Goats; Japan - epidemiology; Lagomorpha; Macaca; Male; Prevalence; Q fever; Q Fever - epidemiology; Q Fever - veterinary; Rodentia; SHORT COMMUNICATIONS; Swine; Ursidae; wild animals; Japan
• ISSN: 0090-3558; 1943-3700
• DOI: 10.7589/0090-3558-29.3.481

One hundred and thirty-four (26%) of 511 sera from 11 wild animal species in eight prefectures in Japan had antibody titers to Coxiella burnetii by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. High prevalences were observed in Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus) (78%), Hokkaido deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) (69%), Japanese hares (Lepus brachyurus) (63%), Japanese deer (Cervus nippon centralis) (56%), and to some extent in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) (28%). A low prevalence (13%) was observed in nutrias (Myocastor coypus). Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus), wild rats (Muroides sp.), raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus), wild pigs (Sus scrofa leucomystax), and masked palm civets (Paguma larvata) had no detectable antibodies to C. burnetii. Thus, six of 11 wild animal species in Japan were exposed to C. burnetii. Based on the high prevalences in some species, they may be a potential source of infection to both domestic animal and human populations.