Abortion is a major cause of economic loss to the goat industry. Coxiella burnetii the causative agent of Q fever is an important zoonotic agent known to be prevalent worldwide. In the present investigation, we detected the presence of Coxiella burnetii by the modified Ziehl Neelsen method of staining and its DNA by trans-PCR assay in the placenta obtained from the aborted goat. We also ruled out other common causes of abortion in this case. Based on a literature survey, this is the first report on the direct detection of Coxiella burnetii from an aborted goat to be reported from India.
The online version of this article ( https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-018-1756-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
The authors are thankful to The Dean, VCRI, TANUVAS, Tirunelveli, and The Director, ICAR-CIRG, for providing necessary facilities and funds for carrying out this research work.