Ellie Deifel

Biology 1610
11/03/23
Primary Research Article Summary

The bacterium strand C.Burnetii is a pathogen with which scientists have little knowledge
on its full capacity. It is known to be a pathogen that is heavily correlated with reproductive
disease and acute mortality but research cannot be certain of its severity quite yet. The objective
of this report is to characterize C.Burnetii and its acuteness by examining the histologic legions
of the collected placentas. Research with domestic livestock such as cows, sheep, or goats report
occasional abortions and reproductive failure. There is little research outside of these domestic
animals and especially marine mammals. When the northern fur seals of St.Paul Island, Alaska,
population took a sudden decrease in population an investigation took place. During the
screening of the northern fur seals C.Burnetii was found. According to the article it states
“Coxiella burnetii has been detected by PCR in approximately 75% of northern fur seal placentas
collected from live births on St. Paul Island since 2010.” The article goes on to explain further
research taken to advance our knowledge of intracellular bacterial pathogens correlating to
problematic reproductive morality and disease with C.Burnetii. Inspections of the placentas of
the northern fur seals were done to understand this bacterial stand more in depth. Because of the
varying results it was concluded that multiple sections of tissue from differing areas of the
placenta should be examined. The bacterium strand found in each of these placentas raises
concerns for reproduction and ongoing population numbers. The placenta plays one of the
biggest roles in reproduction in terms of providing optimal nutrition. A placenta that is not fully
healthy will not only affect the newborn but the mother as well. There are limited opportunities
for marine mammal placentas to be studied, therefore the knowledge of one is also limited. For
each of the placentas collected and examined six samples were taken from differing areas of the
placenta. Direct impression smears were taken as well as stained with modified acid-fast stain.
Testing not only for the presence of C.Burnetii but for other pathogens and variables that might
contribute to the research. Comparing infected and noninfected placenta samples. The article
states the results as “ Of the fresh samples taken from each placenta, 89 (76%) were positive for
C. burnetii by COM1 PCR. The COM1 genomes per gram of tissue ranged from 312 to
270,929,000 with a mean and SD of 4,288,054±29,199,616, respectively. Twenty-eight placentas
(24%) were negative for C. burnetii.”