Search for Possible Additional Reservoirs for Human Q Fever, the Netherlands

Azole resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus isolates from the ARTEMIS global surveillance study is primarily due to the TR/L98H mutation in the cyp51A gene. reported case of azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus due to the TR/L98H mutation in Germany. Molecular epidemiology of Aspergillus fumigatus isolates harboring the TR34/ L98H azole resistance mechanism. expansion and emergence of environmental multiple-triazole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus strains carrying the TR(34)/ L98H mutations in the cyp51A gene in India. To the Editor: Q fever is a zoo-nosis caused by the bacterium Coxi-ella burnetii. The Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands affected ≈4,000 humans during 2007–2010 (1). In this outbreak, 1 genotype of C. burnetii appeared to be responsible for abortions in small ruminants and for clinical disease in humans (2,3). However, little is known about the outbreak genotype and the prevalence of C. burnetii in possible additional reservoirs for human Q fever (i.e., cats, dogs, horses, sheep, and cattle) in the Netherlands. We aimed to search for possible additional reservoirs for human Q fever in the Netherlands. Placentas from 15 cats, 54 dogs, and 31 horses were collected in 2011 at 5 veterinary practices. Placentas were collected by targeted sampling at breeding facilities and during parturition with veterinary assistance. In addition, 27 ovine, 11 caprine, 16 porcine, 8 equine, and 139 bovine placentas (originating from aborting animals from throughout the Netherlands that were submitted in 2011 to investigate the abortion cause) were included in the study. Samples were stored at –20°C before testing. DNA was extracted from the al-lantochorion of the placenta and analyzed as described (2). Samples with sufficient DNA load (cycle threshold [C t ] value <32) were typed by using 2 multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analyses (MLVA) genotyping methods (MLVA-12 and MLVA-6), and the multispacer sequence typing method (3–5). Two C. burnetii strains from the Netherlands representing the outbreak genotype (X09003262, 3345937) and the Nine Mile RSA 493 were included as reference. For prevalence calculations, the Netherlands was divided in a southern part, comprising the Q fever hot spot area of notified cases in humans and small ruminants during the 2007–2010 epidemic (1,6), and a northern part, comprising the rest of the country. C. burnetii DNA was not detected in placentas from cats, goats, or pigs. C. burnetii DNA was detected in 4 (7% [95% CI 0.4–14.4]) of 54 canine pla-centas; 3 from the north and 1 from the south of the Netherlands. C. burnetii DNA was detected …