DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES TO ANAPLASMA, BARTONELLA AND COXIELLA IN RURAL INHABITANTS OF THE CARIBBEAN AREA OF COLOMBIA

Objetive. To estimate the seroprevalence of antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum (formerly Ehrlichia), Bartonella spp. and C. burnetii in Cordoba and Sucre departments, an important cattle raising and farming region of Colombia. Materials and methods. We analysed a representative cross-section of the population by collecting sera in 2003. All of the livestock farming individuals living in towns within Cordoba and Sucre departments served as the base population from which samples were obtained, and all rural workers between 16 and 65 years of age were eligible to enrol. All sera were examined by IFA for the detection of IgG antibodies to Bartonella spp, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Coxiella burnetii. Results. The overall seroprevalence of antibodies to one or more of the studied agents was 56.8%. Of 81 serum specimens tested antibody to C. burnetii 23.6%, were seropositive, 37.7% had antibody reactive with Bartonella and 20% of individuals tested were seropositive to Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Conclusions. Our data indicate that the prevalence of antibodies to Bartonella, A. phagocytophilum and C. burnettii is high in our region. Our results suggest that infectious zoonotic diseases are very common among residents of the Caribbean area. This study demostratres for first time the presence of these microorganisms in Colombia.