| Summary: | <i>Coxiella burnetii</i> (Derrick) Philip, the causative agent of Q fever, is mainly transmitted by aerosols, but ticks can also be a source of infection. Transstadial and transovarial transmission of <i>C. burnetii</i> by <i>Hyalomma lusitanicum</i> (Koch) has been suggested. There is a close relationship between this tick species, wild animals and <i>C. burnetii</i> but the transmission in a natural environment has not been demonstrated. In this study, we collected 80 engorged nymphs of <i>H. lusitanicum</i> from red deer and wild rabbits. They moult to adults under laboratory conditions and we feed them artificially through silicone membranes after a preconditioning period. <i>C. burnetii</i> DNA was tested in ticks, blood and faeces samples using real-time PCR. The pathogen was found in 36.2% of fed adults, demonstrating that transstadial transmission from nymph to adult occurs in nature. The presence of DNA in the 60.0% of blood samples after artificial feeding confirms that adults transmit the bacteria during feeding. Further studies are needed about co-feeding and other possible transmission routes to define the role of this tick species in the cycle of <i>C. burnetii</i>.
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