Q Fever Studies in Southern California: IX. Isolation of Q Fever Organisms from Parturient Placentas of Naturally Infected Dairy Cows

Abstract

Coxiella burhetii was isolated from placentas of infected dairy cows. Titrations of infected placental tissues further indicated that infected placentas represent rich sources of C. burnetii to dairy and other livestock environments. The possible role of infected placentas in epidemiology and epi-zootiology of Q fever is briefly discussed.