Infection of cattle and livestock handlers with Coxiella burnetti and Chlamydiae in the farm of Bernolákovo (West Slovakia).

Antibodies to phase II C. burnetti and to chlamydial antigen were found in sera of dairy cows and livestock handlers collected in the farm of Bernolákovo [West Slovakia]. The levels of C. burnetti antibodies detectable by the microagglutination reaction exceeded those detected by the complement-fixation reaction in 90% of cow sera. In the group of 51 dairy cows having C. burnetii antibodies, 58.8% of animals reacted positively with chlamydial antigen in titres from 8 to 256. In 3 of the 8 dairy cows selected from the group of animals which and both C. burnetii and chlamydial antibodies and were in the stage of lactation, the presence of C. burnetii in milk was demonstrated by bioassay in golden hamsters, whereas parallel attempts to demonstrate Chlamydiae were negative. However, on chlamydial strain from the placenta of a serologically positive dairy cow was isolated in chick embryo yolk sac. Simultaneous occurrence of C. burnetii and chlamydial antibodies in the sera of livestock handlers indicates the possibility of occupational hazard of agricultural worker's infection with only C. burnetii but also with Chlamydiae. Investigation of the causative connection of such a finding will be the subject of further studies.