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Seroepidemiological Survey of Coxiella burnetii in Domestic Cats in Japan
Author(s) -
Morita Chiharu,
Katsuyama Jun,
Yanase Tsuyoshi,
Ueno Hiroshi,
Muramatsu Yasukazu,
Hohdatsu Tsutomu,
Koyama Hiroyuki
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1994.tb02159.x
Subject(s) - coxiella burnetii , cats , q fever , antibody , biology , veterinary medicine , virology , immunology , medicine
Cats are assumed to be one of the most important reservoirs of causative agent of human Q fever especially in urban areas. There is no evidence of Coxiella burnetii infection in cats in Japan prior to this. Sera from 100 cats, collected in various parts of Japan, were examined for antibody against C. burnetii . Sixteen out of the 100 samples contained antibodies against C. burnetii . The prevalence of the antibody decreased from the northeastern to the southwestern part of Japan. A high prevalence of the antibodies was observed in sera from cats of more than four years of age. It is difficult to deny that cats would be one of the important sources of human Q fever in Japan.