ISMIJE SAITI, KASTRIOT KORRO, KRISTAQ BËRXHOLI
Faculty of Natural Sciences and Math, Study Program of Biology, State University of Tetova, Tetovo, Macedonia,
Lecturer for “Zoo & Wildlife and Medicine”, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
*Corresponding author; E-mail: ismije.saiti@unite.edu.mk
Abstract
Query or Queensland fever (Q fever) is a bacterial infection affecting a variety of animal species as well as human beings. Q fever is caused by Coxiella burnetii, an obligate, intracellular, rickettsial organism that can survive in a dried condition for extended periods. The aim of study was to examine the prevalence of Q fever antibodies in farm animals (sheep, goats and cows) and determining the statistical trend with descriptive and conclusive statistical methods according to species in five regions in Western Macedonia (Tetovo, Gostivar, Kicevo, Debar and Struga). A total of 1,120 farm animals were examined, of which 178 serums resulted positive, with a scale of 15.89% positivity. Based on species, the infection is widespread in all three species and in every region. The percentage of infection in sheep in the whole region of Western Macedonia is 26.37% – a very high rate compared to that in goats 6.60% or cows 7.50%. The statistical analysis of the data results, prove that there is a connection and similarity among the samples from five regions in terms of the spread of the Q fever infection in farm animals (sheep, goats and cows). The serums were conserved in -30 °C and as a serological test was used ELISA IDEXX, which is carried out based on its relevant protocol using purified antigen of C. burnetii.
Keywords: Q-fever, Elisa test, antigen, prevalence, farm animals.
