Detection of coxiella burnetti in ruminant abortion samples from Turkish republic of northern Cyprus by PCR

Coxiella burnetii is the etiological agent of Q fever and is a strictly intracellular bacterium. Q fever is a zoonosis found worldwide that occurs in either an acute or a chronic form. Humans are infected by inhalation of aerosols from contaminated amniotic fluid, placenta, or wool ect. Infection in animals is mainly subclinical but has been associated with infertility, late abortions, stillbirth, and delivery of weak offspring. As well, cattle, sheep and goat are considered the primary source of transmission to humans.
We will use random sample system which is reflecting our animal population, from seven different regions of farm.
In this project, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) will be used for the molecular identification of C. burnetii in aborted fetal samples (Fetal liver, fetal muscle, fetal abomasal contents and placenta) obtained from domestic ruminant herds (cow, sheep and goat) in Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Two different oligonucleotide primer pairs will be determined and used in PCR assays. 
As a conclusion, the results of this project are going to constitute the first report on molecular investigation of  C. burnetii existence in fetal samples obtained from TRNC’s domestic ruminant animal population. Moreover, the results of the project will hopefully reveal molecular epidemiology of the disease in TRNC and offer some strategies for the prevention, contention and control of this economically important disease also affecting the public health. Moreover this study going to complete other epidemiological study of Q fever in Cyprus, because Southern part of Cyprus shows that the prevalence of IgG antibodies against C.burnetii phase II antigen was estimated at 52.7% for humans, 48.2% for goats, 18.9% for sheep and 24% for bovines. But Northern part of Cyprus has no even one study about this economically important disease also affecting the public health.