Jp. Webster et al., Q-FEVER (COXIELLA-BURNETII) RESERVOIR IN WILD BROWN-RAT (RATTUS-NORVEGICUS) POPULATIONS IN THE UK, Parasitology, 110, 1995, pp. 31-35
Seroprevalence of Coxiella burnetii, the causal agent of Q fever in hu
mans, was examined in wild brown rat populations from 4 Oxfordshire fa
rmsteads (n = 127), 9 Somerset homesteads (n = 98), and 1 captive encl
osure (n = 88) in the UK. Seroprevalence ranged between 7 and 53 %, th
e lowest being within the captive population and the highest on dairy
farmsteads with sheep present. This is the first reported investigatio
n of C. burnetii in wild rats outside India. We suggest that the high
seroprevalence among rats (i) provides evidence that wild rats constit
ute an important reservoir for C. burnetii in the UK, and (ii) explain
s why cats, as frequent predators of rats, are so important in the epi
demiology of this disease.