Presence of Coxiella burnetii DNA in the Environment of the United States, 2006 to 2008
Presence of Coxiella burnetii DNA in the Environment of the United States, 2006 to 2008
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DOI：
10.1128/aem.00042-10
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发表时间：
2010-07-01
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Massung, Robert F.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kersh, Gilbert J.;Wolfe, Teresa M.;Massung, Robert F.
伯纳蒂克希菌是一种专性细胞内细菌，引起人畜共患疾病Q热。由于伯氏杆菌具有高度传染性，可以在各种环境条件下生存，并且在过去已被武器化，因此它被归类为精选剂，被认为是潜在的生物武器。已知该病原体存在于家畜和野生动物种群中，但尚未报告环境中伯氏梭菌的背景水平。为了更好地了解美国环境中存在的伯氏梭菌的数量，2006年至2008年在美国六个地理不同的地区收集了1600多个环境样本。从这些样品中纯化DNA，并通过IS1111重复元件的定量PCR检测伯纳蒂胞杆菌DNA的存在。总体而言，23.8%的样本呈伯纳蒂胞杆菌DNA阳性。不同州的患病率从6%到44%不等。在有牲畜的地点以及主要有人类活动的地点（邮局、商店、学校等）检测到伯纳蒂胞杆菌DNA。本研究表明，伯纳蒂菌在美国的环境中相当普遍，在疑似故意释放后对伯纳蒂菌的任何分析都应根据这些背景水平进行解释。它还表明，人类接触伯纳蒂胞杆菌的情况可能比报告的Q热病例数量所显示的更为普遍。
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium that causes the zoonotic disease Q fever. Because C. burnetii is highly infectious, can survive under a variety of environmental conditions, and has been weaponized in the past, it is classified as a select agent and is considered a potential bioweapon. The agent is known to be present in domestic livestock and in wild animal populations, but the background levels of C. burnetii in the environment have not been reported. To better understand the amount of C. burnetii present in the environment of the United States, more than 1,600 environmental samples were collected from six geographically diverse parts of the United States in the years 2006 to 2008. DNA was purified from these samples, and the presence of C. burnetii DNA was evaluated by quantitative PCR of the IS1111 repetitive element. Overall, 23.8% of the samples were positive for C. burnetii DNA. The prevalence in the different states ranged from 6 to 44%. C. burnetii DNA was detected in locations with livestock and also in locations with primarily human activity (post offices, stores, schools, etc.). This study demonstrates that C. burnetii is fairly common in the environment in the United States, and any analysis of C. burnetii after a suspected intentional release should be interpreted in light of these background levels. It also suggests that human exposure to C. burnetii may be more common than what is suggested by the number of reported cases of Q fever.