Fatih Büyük1, Özgür Çelebi1, Elif Çelik1, Bekir Çelebi2, Selçuk Kiliç2, Aliye Gülmez Sağlam1, Doğan Akça3, Mehmet Doğanay4, Salih Otlu1, Mitat Şahin1. 1. Department of Microbiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Kafkas, Kars, Turkey. 2. Public Health Institution of Turkey, National Tularemia Reference Laboratory, Ankara, Turkey. 3. Kars Health School, University of Kafkas, Kars, Turkey. 4. Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of the current study was to investigate the presence of antibodies against Francisella tularensis in individuals in different occupations that have contact with animals in the Kars region of northeastern Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 201 blood samples specifically including 103 farmers, 45 clinical veterinarians, 42 butchers, and 11 hunters were analyzed. The results of the study were reported in relation to some sociodemographic features (age, sex, occupation, and experience) of the volunteers. The presence of antibodies was determined by a microagglutination (MA) test. In addition, positive sera were confirmed using an ELISA kit. RESULTS: Fifteen (7.46%) individuals, including fourteen farmers and one clinical veterinarian, were found to be positive for F. tularensis by both MA and ELISA with a titer range of 1/10 to 1/160. The highest seroprevalence rate was observed in farmers (13.59%), followed by clinical veterinarians (2.22%). The occurrence of tularemia was found to increase with age. CONCLUSION: Though the main route of tularemia outbreaks is water-borne in Turkey, it was determined that people whose occupations bring them into contact with animals are at risk. Similar studies are recommended in order to further clarify the epidemiology of the disease in the northeast of Turkey.
BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of the current study was to investigate the presence of antibodies against Francisella tularensis in individuals in different occupations that have contact with animals in the Kars region of northeastern Turkey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 201 blood samples specifically including 103 farmers, 45 clinical veterinarians, 42 butchers, and 11 hunters were analyzed. The results of the study were reported in relation to some sociodemographic features (age, sex, occupation, and experience) of the volunteers. The presence of antibodies was determined by a microagglutination (MA) test. In addition, positive sera were confirmed using an ELISA kit. RESULTS: Fifteen (7.46%) individuals, including fourteen farmers and one clinical veterinarian, were found to be positive for F. tularensis by both MA and ELISA with a titer range of 1/10 to 1/160. The highest seroprevalence rate was observed in farmers (13.59%), followed by clinical veterinarians (2.22%). The occurrence of tularemia was found to increase with age. CONCLUSION: Though the main route of tularemia outbreaks is water-borne in Turkey, it was determined that people whose occupations bring them into contact with animals are at risk. Similar studies are recommended in order to further clarify the epidemiology of the disease in the northeast of Turkey.
Authors: N Akhvlediani; I Burjanadze; D Baliashvili; T Tushishvili; M Broladze; A Navdarashvili; S Dolbadze; N Chitadze; M Topuridze; P Imnadze; N Kazakhashvili; T Tsertsvadze; T Kuchuloria; T Akhvlediani; L-A McNutt; G Chanturia Journal: Epidemiol Infect Date: 2018-09-25 Impact factor: 4.434