Q fever serologic surveillance program for sheep and goats at a research animal facility

Since Q fever is a potential risk to personnel working with small ruminants, the serologic status of sheep and goats received at a medical school animal facility for research was evaluated. A total of 104 sheep and 102 goats were subjected to blood sample-collection procedures on arrival, as well as after a 2-week quarantine period, and the sera were tested for Q fever specific antibodies by complement-fixation (CF) and microagglutination (MA) tests. The results from the 2 tests were compared and analyzed for seroconversion. On the basis of the CF test, 14 sheep and 3 goats were considered positive; these included 7 sheep and 2 goats that seroconverted during the quarantine period. In contrast, 1 sheep and 5 goats were found positive by the MA test, which also detected seroconversion of 1 sheep and 1 goat. The use of both tests for serologic surveillance of Q fever in sheep and goats increased the likelihood of detection. Management safety practices are also required to minimize the risk of disease transmission.