The Prevalence of Coxiella burnetii Infection in Wild Korean Water Deer, Korea

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Coxiella burnetti infection in wild Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus) in Korea, by using serology and real-time PCR analyses. One hundred ninety-six sera were collected from 4 provinces and tested for anti-C. burnetii antibody detection, by means of CHEKIT Q fever ELISA kit; and C. burnetii IS1111 insertion sequence detection, by means of real-time PCR. Antibodies were detected in 18 of the 196 (9.18%) serum samples, whereas genomes of C. burnetii were detected in 13 of the 196 (6.63%) serum samples. Based on overall high seroprevalence, the public health implications of these findings are important, because they indicate that asymptomatic seropositive or seronegative wild animals may be consistently shedding C. burnetii. This is the first study of C. burnetii prevalence in Korean water deer in the Republic of Korea that has indicated the presence of infected animals throughout the country.