Q Fever in Dogs: An Emerging Infectious Disease in Iran

Background: Q fever is an important widespread reemerging zoonosis. The presence of Coxiella burnetii in 100 tick-infested dogs w as assessed in this study. Methods: The blood samples from 100 referred dogs were acquired and evaluated by nested-PCR. Results: C. burnetii was detected in 11 out of 100 (11%) blood samples. Most of the positive dogs were kept outdoor and fed on raw diet. Based on our findings, Q fever should be considered as an emerging disease in dogs in Iran; so, zoonotic importance of this population must be notified. To better understanding the role and pathogenic importance of dogs in Q fever outbreak and to determine whether t his organism can be transmitted directly from dogs to human further in-depth studies are necessary. Conclusion: It is determined that C. burnetii is present in dogs in southeast of Iran and people who are in contact with this population, especially asymptomatic ones are at increased risk of infection.