Abstract:
Infection with Coxiella burnetii causes significant economic impact and poses zoonotic risk to
people exposed to livestock, yet few studies in South Africa have assessed seroprevalence of
C. burnetii infection and no information is available for goats. Very little information is available
regarding risk factors and outcomes of C. burnetii infection in peri-urban farming areas where
widespread mixing of ruminants occurs. This study estimated the seroprevalence of C. burnetii
infection among communally farmed goats in an area adjacent to the densely populated
Gauteng province. Sera were collected from 216 goats in 39 herds, and questionnaires were
completed to establish management practices as potential risk factors. C. burnetii antibody
testing was done by ELISA. Thirty two out of 216 goats tested positive for C. burnetii antibodies
and the overall seroprevalence, adjusted for sampling weights and clustering, was 18.4% (95%
confidence interval [CI]: 12.2% – 23.5%). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.06,
indicating low-to-moderate clustering. Multiple logistic regression showed age was
significantly associated with seropositivity, with higher seroprevalence in animals ≥ 19 months
old (26%) than animals ≤ 6 months old (6%) (odds ratio [OR]: 6.6; p = 0.010). We concluded
C. burnetii infection is common in goats in Moretele and a potential cause of abortion in goats
and poses the potential zoonotic disease risk.
