[Seroepidemiological studies on the detection of Q fever in sheep in middle Thuringia].

In a random samples test altogether 4337 sheep of varying ages from several herds of different sizes in the middle region of Thuringia were investigated with complement fixing test for the existence of Q fever. In 47.1 per cent of the tested herds and in 5 from 8 of the included districts Q fever reagents were provable. The serological detection quota of all tested sheep amounts to 1.11 per cent, but the percentage of serological reagents in mother-sheep was 1.36 per cent, in the female young sheep 1.04 per cent and in the lambs 0.74 per cent. The investigations of rams and sheep for slaughter were negative. Serological testing in 7 sheep showed a Q fever antibody persistence about 6 until 10 months. Increased animal concentration and adverse conditions led to an increase of the Q fever seroprevalence in the herds.