Reverse transcription PCR-based detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus isolated from ticks of domestic ruminants in Kurdistan province of Iran.
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a potentially fatal viral vector-borne zoonosis which has a mortality rate of up to 30% without treatment in humans. CCHF virus is transmitted to humans by ticks, predominantly from the Hyalomma genus. Following the report of two confirmed and one suspected death due to CCHF virus in Kurdistan province of Iran in 2007, this study was undertaken to determine the fauna of hard ticks on domestic ruminants (cattle, sheep, and goats) and their possible infection with CCHF virus using reverse transcription PCR technique. This is the first detection of CCHF virus in ticks from the Kurdistan province of Iran. Overall, 414 ixodid ticks were collected from two districts in this province. They represented four genera from which 10 separate species were identified. The Hyalomma genus was the most abundant tick genus (70%). It was the only genus shown to be infected with the CCHF virus using RT-PCR technique. The number of ticks positive for CCHF virus was 5 out of 90 (5.6%) adult ticks. The three remaining genera (Haemaphysalis, Rhipicephalus, and Dermacentor) were all negative following molecular survey. Four of the five virally-infected ticks were from cattle mainly in the Sanandaj district. We concluded that CCHF virus is present in the Hyalomma ticks on domestic ruminants (cattle) in Kurdistan province of Iran.
Department of Medical Entomology, School of Health and Nutrition, Research Centre for Health Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Fakoorziba
Parvaneh
P
Golmohammadi
Rahmatollah
R
Moradzadeh
Mohammad Djaefar
MD
Moemenbellah-Fard
Kourosh
K
Azizi
Behrooz
B
Davari
Hamzeh
H
Alipour
Sara
S
Ahmadnia
Sadegh
S
Chinikar
D000818:Animals; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000254:growth & development / Q000821:virology*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D006041:Goats; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015047:Zoonoses
D012367:RNA, Viral