Tehran University of Medical Sciences Journal of Medical Bacteriology 2251-8649 5 1-2 2016 12 31 1 6 EN Mahdieh Rezaei Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. Mohammad Khalili Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran. AND Research Center of Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Baharak Akhtardanesh Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. Shima Shahheidaripour Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran. 2016 12 30 2016 12 30 Background: Q fever is an important widespread reemerging zoonosis. The presence of Coxiella burnetii in 100 tick-infested dogs was assessed in this study. Methods: The blood samples from 100 referred dogs were acquired and evaluated by nested-PCR. Results: C. burnetii was detected in 11 out of 100 (11%) blood samples. Most of the positive dogs were kept outdoor and fed on raw diet. Based on our findings, Q fever should be considered as an emerging disease in dogs in Iran; so, zoonotic importance of this population must be notified. To better understanding the role and pathogenic importance of dogs in Q fever outbreak and to determine whether this organism can be transmitted directly from dogs to human further in-depth studies are necessary. Conclusion: It is determined that C. burnetii is present in dogs in southeast of Iran and people who are in contact with this population, especially asymptomatic ones are at increased risk of infection. https://jmb.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmb/article/view/224 https://jmb.tums.ac.ir/index.php/jmb/article/download/224/158