Zoonotic infections among veterinarians in Turkey: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and beyond

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2006.06.005
• Publication Date: 2006-09-19T16:06:39Z
• Authors: Önder Ergönül; Herve Zeller; Selçuk Kılıç; Selda Kutlu; Murat Kutlu; Senel Cavusoglu; Berrin Esen; Başak Dokuzoğuz
• Keywords: Microbiology (medical); Adult; Male; Turkey; Antibodies, Viral; Brucellosis; Veterinarians; 03 medical and health sciences; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Zoonoses; Animals; Humans; Antibody; Brucella spp; 0303 health sciences; Middle Aged; Antibodies, Bacterial; Brucella; Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus; 3. Good health; Occupational Diseases; Infectious Diseases; Coxiella burnetii; Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo; Female; Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean; Q Fever

We aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, Brucella spp, and Coxiella burnetii among veterinarians in a highly endemic and a non-endemic region for these infections in Turkey.The antibody levels against these three infections were surveyed. Eighty-three veterinarians were included from two distinct geographic regions.CCHF IgG positivity (3% vs. 0%) and Brucella agglutination titer of > or =1/160 (33% vs. 5%) were more common in the endemic region, whereas the rates of Coxiella burnetii antibodies were similar (7% and 8%). A history of tick bite was significantly more common in the endemic region (35% vs. 12%, p=0.011). A multivariate analysis was performed among the veterinarians living in the endemic area, and percutaneous injuries were found to be associated with Brucella infection (OR 1.8, CI 1.09-3, p=0.022).Veterinarians should protect themselves against tick bites, and should use masks to prevent transmission by inhalation of zoonotic infections in endemic countries.