Coxiella burnetii antibody dynamics in heifers born to vaccinated versus non-vaccinated dams in a chronically infected dairy herd.

This study was designed to compare Coxiella burnetii antibody dynamics in heifers born to vaccinated or non-vaccinated dams in a single high-producing dairy herd chronically infected with the bacterium. Antibody dynamics were examined from birth to the postpartum period in replacement heifers (n = 14) born to non-vaccinated dams (n = 7) or to dams that had been vaccinated on gestation days 171-177 (n = 7) and 192-198. Samples of blood, milk, faeces, vaginal fluid, colostrum and cotyledons (the latter two only at parturition) were obtained in the dams over the period from gestation days 171-177 to postpartum days 91-97. Blood samples were used to detect antibodies against C. burnetii and remaining samples for PCR identification of the bacterium. In their calves/heifers, blood samples for antibody determinations were collected from birth to postpartum at the time points 1-7 and 22-28 days and 3, 6 and 12 months of age; 90-96 and 210-216 days of gestation; and 22-28 days postpartum. All calves were born seronegative for C. burnetii. Irrespective of the shedding status of their mothers (7 were C. burnetii shedders), seroconversion occurred after colostrum intake in all calves born to seropositive cows (n = 9) and in two of three vaccinated seronegative dams. Thereafter antibody titres gradually declined and by 6 months of age all calves were seronegative. Seronegativity persisted until their first postpartum period. These findings indicate that cows vaccinated during advanced pregnancy transfer immunity to their calves via the colostrum. Maternal C. burnetii antibodies in calves persisted for three months in calves born both to seronegative vaccinated and seropositive dams.

Effects of long-term vaccination against Coxiella burnetii on the fertility of high-producing dairy cows.

The impact of long-term vaccination against Coxiella burnetii on the fertility of cows was studied. Double vaccinations three weeks apart at the start of the third trimester of gestation in each of two consecutive pregnancies were applied. The final study population consisted of 410 cows after the first vaccination round. Based on the odds ratios, the likelihood of early fetal loss (pregnancy loss following a positive pregnancy diagnosis before Day 90 of gestation) was higher in control cows (OR = 1.42) than in vaccinated cows. The final study population consisted of 336 cows after the second round of vaccination. According to the odds ratios, vaccinated C. burnetii seronegative cows were less likely to be subfertile (> 3 AI) (OR = 0.4) compared to non-vaccinated seronegative animals, and the likelihood of early fetal loss was lower in vaccinated C. burnetii seropositive animals (OR = 0.3) compared to non-vaccinated seronegative cows. Seropositivity to C. burnetii was positively related to twin pregnancy after the two rounds of vaccination (OR = 2.1 and 3.5, respectively). These results indicate that two consecutive vaccination rounds against C. burnetii in advanced gestation reduce subfertility and early fetal loss in dairy cows.

Coxiella burnetii total immunoglobulin G, phase I and phase II immunoglobulin G antibodies, and bacterial shedding in young dams in persistently infected dairy herds.

The current study examines Coxiella burnetii infection patterns in young dairy dams around the calving period in persistently infected high-producing dairy herds. Infection patterns were determined in terms of total immunoglobulin G (IgG) and phase-specific IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and bacterial shedding by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). On days 171-177 of gestation, at parturition, and on days 15-21 and 91-97 postpartum, 7 first-parity cows and 7 second-parity cows were sampled for serology and qPCR. Total phase-specific I (PhI) and II (PhII) IgG antibodies were detected in 2 animals at days 171-177 of gestation. Four additional animals underwent seroconversion on days 91-97 postpartum. Three of 6 seropositive dams according to total IgG, showed a PhI+/PhII+ profile, whereas dams that seroconverted exhibited a PhI-/PhII+ (2/6) or PhI+/PhII- (1/6) profile. An indirect fluorescent antibody test for PhI and PhII immunoglobulin M (IgM) was performed on plasma samples from the shedding dams, confirming seropositivity in a first-parity dam that seroconverted, and detecting a sudden spike of PhI-IgM antibodies in 1 further dam. No relationship was detected in young C. burnetii-infected animals between total IgG, PhI and/or PhII antibodies, and bacterial shedding throughout the study period. The highest bacterial load measured by qPCR was recorded in a second-parity dam. This animal presented abnormal peripheral blood counts, which would be an indication of severe peripheral blood alterations in some infected cattle. This study suggests that young shedder cows are mostly seronegative in early stages of infection.

Serological and shedding patterns after Coxiella burnetii vaccination in the third gestation trimester in dairy cows.

This study sought to assess the effects of an inactivated phase I vaccine against Coxiella burnetii at the start of the third trimester of gestation on serological profiles, bacterial shedding patterns and subsequent reproductive performance in dairy cows. Cows were randomly assigned to a control (n = 78) or a vaccinated (n = 78) group on days 171-177 of gestation. Samples of placenta and colostrums at parturition, vaginal fluid, faeces, milk (PCR identification) and blood (anti-C. burnetii antibody detection) were obtained on the day of treatment and on days 91-97 post partum, and also on parturition day and weekly on days 1-7, 8-14, 15-21, 22-28 and 29-35 post partum in a subset of 70 animals. By Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, no significant effect of vaccination was detected on any of the reproductive variables studied. According to the odds ratio, C. burnetii shedding on days 171-177 of gestation was highly correlated with seropositivity against C. burnetii (OR = 9.1), while vaccination was not linked to reduced shedding of the bacterium. In shedders compared to others, the likelihood of pregnancy to first AI decreased and increased by factors of 0.26 and 16.1 on days 1-35 and 91-97 post partum, respectively. In conclusion, when administered at the start of the third trimester of pregnancy, the inactivated C. burnetii phase I vaccine failed to reduce bacterial shedding.

No detectable precolostral antibody response in calves born from cows with cotyledons positive for Coxiella burnetii by quantitative PCR.

Samples from 45 dams (milk/colostrum, faeces, vaginal fluid and blood on days 171-177 of gestation and at parturition, and cotyledons at parturition) and their calves (blood collected before colostrum intake and weekly until days 29-35) were analysed to examine the vertical transmission of Coxiella burnetii and links between shedding and seropositivity. All calves were born C. burnetii seronegative. Only those born to seropositive dams seroconverted following colostrum intake. Logistic regression analyses indicated that the likelihood of dam seropositivity was 21 and 4.85 times higher for multiparous than for primiparous (65.6% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.006) and for prepartum shedding cows (75% vs. 38.2%, P = 0.03) compared to the remaining animals, respectively. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate no detectable precolostral antibody response in calves born from dams with cotyledons positive for C. burnetii by qPCR. In order to analyse the possibility of persistent infection due to immunotolerance to an early in utero infection, further studies will need to test for C. burnetii DNA. In addition, in the present study multiparous cows showed a significantly higher seroprevalence than primiparous cows and heifers, colostral antibodies were efficiently transferred to newborn calves, and there was a link between bacterial shedding on days 171-177 of gestation and Coxiella seropositivity of the dam.