Investigation of Seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever in Samsun Region

Abstract

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a highly deadly infection transmitted to humans by ticks, has an acute course, and progresses with bleeding. The disease entered Turkey for the first time in 2002 and has continued until today. The primary source of transmission of the disease to humans is ticked and contact with the body fluids of infected animals or humans. Since animals have the subclinical disease, they have an important place, especially in human transmission. In this study, serum of people living in the urban and rural areas of Vezirkopru district and the rural areas of Kavak district are endemic in terms of CCHF disease in Samsun, without a history of tick bite and who came to the hospital for health check-ups were used. While serums were collected from the district urban and rural areas in Vezirkopru, only rural areas in the Kavak district were collected between January 2020 and March 2020. A total of 336 (168 Vezirkopru, 168 Kavak) serums were tested for CCHF Virus IgG antibodies. As a test result, 15 (8.9%) serum collected from Vezirkopru and 12 (7.1%) serum collected from Kavak were positive. When the studies conducted throughout Turkey are examined, the seroprevalence rate determined in the region was found to be close to the endemic regions.