Cross-sectional Molecular Detection of Francisella tularensis in Domestic Rabbits in Sulaimani Province Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Tularemia is one of the diseases transmitted between humans and animals. It is caused by a Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis. Recent serological studies suggested that tularemia can be an endemic bacterial zoonotic disease in some countries surrounding Iraq such as Iran and Turkey. The main objective of this study is to detect tularemia in Sulaimani province northeast Iraq near to Iran border. Sulaimani city also has contact with many Turkish cities. This study was conducted between Jun and October 2020. Blood samples were taken from one hundred local breed rabbits of different ages and sexes. A highly sensitive real-time PCR technique was used. Sixteen out of one hundred blood samples (16%) were positively taken from different local breed rabbits from four different places in Sulaimani province. All positive samples were detected in the center of Sulaimani city. No published documents have been reported yet about tularemia in Kurdistan Region. This paper documented molecular detection of F. tularensis in local breed rabbits in Sulaimani province Kurdistan Region-Iraq