Problems of contamination of some areas in Slovakia by Coxiella burnetii strains imported from abroad

Following the upsurge of Q fever epidemic in the village Jedlove Kostolany, Nitra district, Slovakia, in April 1993, the possibility of the penetration of coxiellae into free nature was investigated for the next two years. Micromammals and their ectoparasites, primarily ticks, were employed as indicators of the presence of the infection in nature. The infestation of mammals and their ectoparasites was followed in J. Kostolany on the farm where the goats were housed as well as in its close proximity. The infestation of ticks with coxiellae was further followed in four localities of the Rimavska Sobota district, where the goats after the eradication of Q fever outbreak in J. Kostolany were transferred for breeding. The presence of coxiellae was not proved in these investigated localities. It is suggested that the pathogenicity of imported C. burnetii strains through Bulgarian goats was decreased under local environmental conditions including the ability to circulate freely in nature or these strains found inconvenient conditions for maintaining their viability.