<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0055_s_005">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Q fever (coxiellosis) is an infectious disease of animals and humans, caused by<italic>.C. burnetii</italic> and widely distributed throughout the world. It is known that people and animals acquire the disease predominantly<italic>.via</italic> inhalation of infectious aerosols. The possibility of transmission of the pathogen by the alimentary route is still a matter of debate and remains controversial. Therefore the aim of this study was to fill the gaps in knowledge of oral transmission of<italic>.C. burnetii</italic> by conducting biological tests on the guinea pig model.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0055_s_006">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>Guinea pigs, divided into five groups comprising a negative control and four experimental groups, received specified concentrations of<italic>.C. burnetii per os</italic>. To determine the presence of specific antibodies, blood samples were tested using CFT. Also, internal organs collected during necropsy were screened by a real-time PCR targeting I<italic>.1111</italic>. Additionally, histopathological evaluation of the tissues was performed.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0055_s_007">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The presence of antibodies and pathogen DNA in caecum was confirmed in one guinea pig from experimental group IV.<italic>.C. burnetii</italic> was also detected in testicular tissue collected from one animal of experimental group II.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jvetres-2019-0055_s_008">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>The presence of pathogen DNA in the testicular tissue indicates that infection spreads haematogenously. In the majority of experimental animals specific antibodies and genetic material of<italic>.C. burnetii</italic> were not detected. This fact suggests that development of infection depends on many factors, such as animal immune status.</p></sec></abstract>

Introduction
Q fever (coxiellosis) is an infectious disease of animals and humans, caused by.C. burnetii and widely distributed throughout the world. It is known that people and animals acquire the disease predominantly.via inhalation of infectious aerosols. The possibility of transmission of the pathogen by the alimentary route is still a matter of debate and remains controversial. Therefore the aim of this study was to fill the gaps in knowledge of oral transmission of.C. burnetii by conducting biological tests on the guinea pig model.

Material and Methods
Guinea pigs, divided into five groups comprising a negative control and four experimental groups, received specified concentrations of.C. burnetii per os. To determine the presence of specific antibodies, blood samples were tested using CFT. Also, internal organs collected during necropsy were screened by a real-time PCR targeting I.1111. Additionally, histopathological evaluation of the tissues was performed.

Results
The presence of antibodies and pathogen DNA in caecum was confirmed in one guinea pig from experimental group IV..C. burnetii was also detected in testicular tissue collected from one animal of experimental group II.

Conclusions
The presence of pathogen DNA in the testicular tissue indicates that infection spreads haematogenously. In the majority of experimental animals specific antibodies and genetic material of.C. burnetii were not detected. This fact suggests that development of infection depends on many factors, such as animal immune status.

Evaluation of the possibility of <italic>C. burnetii</italic> transmission by the alimentary route in a guinea pig model

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Evaluation of the possibility of  transmission by the alimentary route in a guinea pig model

Introduction
Q fever (coxiellosis) is an infectious disease of animals and humans, caused by.C. burnetii and widely distributed throughout the world. It is...

Evaluation of the possibility of C. burnetii transmission by the alimentary route in a guinea pig model

Published Online: Sep 13, 2019

Page range: 311 - 315

Received: Jun 04, 2019

Accepted: Aug 12, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2019-0055

Keywords
guinea pig, alimentary route, infection

© 2019 A Jodełko et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Evaluation of the possibility of C. burnetii transmission by the alimentary route in a guinea pig model

Published Online: Sep 13, 2019

Page range: 311 - 315

Received: Jun 04, 2019

Accepted: Aug 12, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2019-0055

Keywordsguinea pig, alimentary route, infection

© 2019 A Jodełko et al. published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
guinea pig, alimentary route, infection