title: [Detection of natural tularemia foci in Mongolia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Study of the current spread of natural tularemia foci in Mongolia and its epizootic activity evaluation for consequent substantiation of the recommendations for prophylaxis of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study of 1119 pellet specimens from predatory birds obtained in 6 aimag in Mongolia in 2008--2010 was performed. Tularemia antigen was detected by using antibody neutralization reaction (ANR) and passive hemagglutination reaction (PHR) with tularemia diagnosticums. Tularemia DNA was detected by PCR by using strain specific primers. Presence of plague antigen in PHR with plague immunoglobulin diagnosticum was also studied in all the samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epizootologic monitoring allowed the detection of natural tularemia foci in 5 of the 6 studied aimags in Mongolia. PHR was the most effective study method that allowed to detect tularemia antigen in the environmental objects in high quantities (up to 9.2% of positive samples) and high titers (up to 1:1600). PCR was less effective. Plague antigen was detected in 9 samples in 2010 for the first time, and in 3 cases together with tularemia antigen, which indicates a presence of combined natural foci of tularemia and plague in this territory.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the studied regions of Mongolia natural tularemia foci were detected, their epizootic activity was determined and recommendations for future study tactics of natural tularemia foci were given.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Meshcheriakova
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Korenberg
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tserennorov
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Mikhaĭlova
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Kormilitsyna
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Batjav
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dagvadorj
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Demidova
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otgonbaatar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Enkhbold
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mendamar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D001717:Birds / Q000382:microbiology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008986:Mongolia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000382:microbiology; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies