Molecular Epidemiology of Coxiella burnetii in Boer Goats and Their Farm Environment in South Korea with a One Health Approach

초록

Q fever, caused by Coxiella burnetii, is a zoonotic disease that poses significant risks to both livestock productivity and human health. This is the first molecular and epidemiological study of C. burnetii infections on a Boer goat farm in South Korea, encompassing clinical cases in animals and humans, as well as environmental contamination. The investigation was initiated following abortion cases at a farm that co-raised Boer goats and cattle. Samples-including vaginal swabs, aborted fetuses, blood, tissues, feces, dust, and soil-were tested using PCR, confirming C. burnetii infection from multiple sources. Genotyping through Multiple Locus Variable Number Tandem Repeat Analysis and Multispacer Sequence Typing revealed molecular epidemiological links between farm-detected strains and those previously identified in human cases from South Korea, France, and the UK, suggesting possible zoonotic transmission. C. burnetii was also found in dust, soil, feces, and in farmworkers, indicating ongoing environmental and occupational exposure. These findings emphasize the role of environmental contamination in disease persistence and the need for improved biosecurity and coordinated surveillance. This study supports a One Health approach and offers meaningful implications for public health policy, particularly in establishing effective strategies for monitoring and controlling Q fever in livestock farms and surrounding communities.

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