Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii infection among humans and domestic animals of Rajasthan State, India

A total number of 1806 sera comprising 1049 humans and 757 animals from four ecologically different areas of Rajasthan State were tested to determine the prevalence of complement-fixing (CF) antibodies to Coxiella burnetii (C burnett). Of the 1049 human and 757 animal sera tested, antibodies to C. burnetii were detected in 195 sera (18.6 per cent) and 187 sera (24.7 per cent), respectively. Among humans, the prevalence of infection with C. burnetii was highest in the desert area of Barmer district and the hilly area of Bundi district, viz 64.5 per cent and 28.2 per cent, respectively. It was slightly lower in the semi-arid and the arid zones of the State, viz Sirohi (20 per cent) and Jalore (13.7 per cent), whereas the irrigated areas of Kota and Jaipur had the lowest prevalence, 9.9 and 8.4 per cent, respectively. Among animals, the highest prevalence was detected in sheep (39.6 per cent), followed by cattle (29.9 per cent) and goats (18.6 per cent).