Seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in Turkey's Van Province.

This study aims to determine seroprevalence of CCHF in Turkey's Van province by analysis of blood samples obtained from people living in Van province. Blood specimens were taken from healthy people living in Van province and a variety of its villages between January 2012 and July 2012. Blood samples were initially tested by using a CCHF virus (CCHFV) IgM IgG kit for anti-CCHFV IgG followed by anti-CCHFV IgM determination of IgG positive blood samples. IgM-positive specimens were re-confirmed by Real Time-PCR. 107 men and 261 women were included in the study. 53 blood specimens (14.4%) were anti-CCHFV IgG positive, 2 of which were anti-CCHFV IgM positive. Two blood samples with anti-CCHFV IgM seropositivity led to negative PCR results, proving their non-acute infections. Differences amongst localities, gender, with and without a history of tick bites was not found statistically significant in terms of anti-CCHFV IgG seropositivity. Although anti-CCHFV IgG levels in blood specimens were found to be 14.4%, death cases have not been reported in Turkey's Van province yet. It is imperative that clinical CCHFV tests be implemented for people at high risk of developing CCHFV-related complications. PMID: 27169950 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Japanese Journal of Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Tags: Jpn J Infect Dis Source Type: research