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Serological prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in captive wild ruminants in Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

Serum samples from sand gazelles (n = 227), mountain gazelles (n = 232), and Arabian oryx (n = 96) reared in captivity in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were tested for the presence of Coxiella burnetii antibodies using an indirect enzyme immunoassay. C. burnetii antibodies were present in 18.3%, 7.3%, and 46.9% of these animals, respectively. The difference in serological prevalence between the three species was statistically significant. Age- and sex-related differences in prevalence were also observed. This study is the first record of C. burnetii antibodies in Arabian gazelles.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Secretary General of the Saudi Commission for Wildlife and Dr Robbie Robinson, Director of King Khalid Wildlife Research Center, for their support

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Production, College of Food Sciences and Agriculture, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Mansour F. Hussein, Ibrahim M. Al-Khalifa, Riyadh S. Aljumaah & Abdelrahman Gar Elnabi

  2. King Khalid Wildlife Research Center, The Saudi Commission for Wildlife, P.O. Box 61881, Riyadh, 11575, Saudi Arabia

    Osama B. Mohammed, Sawsan A. Omer & William V. Macasero

Authors
  1. Mansour F. Hussein
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  2. Ibrahim M. Al-Khalifa
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  3. Riyadh S. Aljumaah
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  4. Abdelrahman Gar Elnabi
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  5. Osama B. Mohammed
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  6. Sawsan A. Omer
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  7. William V. Macasero
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Correspondence to Mansour F. Hussein.

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Hussein, M.F., Al-Khalifa, I.M., Aljumaah, R.S. et al. Serological prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in captive wild ruminants in Saudi Arabia. Comp Clin Pathol 21, 33–38 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-010-1061-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-010-1061-y

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