Adding pieces to the puzzle: Assessing the geographic distribution of coxiella burnetii in dairy cattle and goats from the state of indiana (USA)

Studies at the national level in the USA report high herd level prevalence of infection with Coxiella burnetii in dairy cattle while goats have been reported as the source of outbreaks of Q fever. However, trends at the national level may not always reflect the regional or local situation. As part of studies estimating the prevalence of C. burnetii in dairy cattle and goats in Indiana, prevalence estimates were compared for different regions of the state and the Public Health Preparedness Districts (PHPDs) embedded within those regions. C. burnetii was identified in dairy cattle and goat herds in all regions of the state and 9 of the 10 PHPDs. While there was no statistically significant association identified between PHPD and herd level infection with C. burnetii, additional studies focusing on spatial analysis at different scales, additional species, and different locations may be helpful in predicting regions where C. burnetii outbreaks are more likely to occur.