Background: Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium responsible for Q fever, a neglected and rapidly rising zoonotic disease in Indonesia. Domestic ruminants serve as the main reservoir for human cases, and the disease has three forms of infection: Subclinical, acute, and chronic.
Objectives: This study aims to investigate the presence of C. burnetii in meat cattle in Lampung Province, Indonesia, using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and to identify the pathogenesis of Q Fever.
Methods: Samples, including lung, heart, spleen, kidney, and liver, were collected from 100 Brahman cross cattle at slaughterhouses in Lampung Province. Subsequently, C. burnetii was detected using nested PCR. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was applied to each positive organ sample to observe the morphology of the infection. Confirmation testing was performed using immunohistochemistry (IHC) to determine the antigen localization.
Results: Nested PCR targeting the com1 gene identified C. burnetii DNA in the spleen and heart of 3% of subjects. Phylogenetic analysis showed complete sequence identity among positive samples and significant similarity to previously identified goat isolates from East Java. Histopathological examination of tissues from affected cattle revealed depletion of the white pulp, splenic congestion, and macrophage infiltration, indicative of chronic splenitis. Inflammatory changes in the heart valves suggested the occurrence of endocarditis. Additionally, IHC validated the detection of C. burnetii antigens in macrophages and vascular endothelial cells.
Conclusion: This study provides preliminary molecular and pathological evidence of C. burnetii infection in cattle from Lampung Province, Indonesia. The results show the often-overlooked presence of the bacteria in the meat supply chain and underscore the need for proactive surveillance to mitigate potential occupational and public health risks.