title: A seroepidemiological survey of Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever among cattle in North Kordufan State, Sudan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), caused by CCHF virus (CCFV), may cause a fatal hemorrhagic illness in humans with mortality rate of approximately 30%. However, in animals the disease is typically asymptomatic and no clinical hemorrhagic infections appears to be associated with CCHFV. Recently, CCHF activity has been detected in western and southern Kordufan region, Sudan. Currently, no information is available in regard to previous exposure of livestock to CCHFV infection in the region.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, a seroepidemiological survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of CCHF and to identify the potential risk factors associated with the disease among cattle in North Kordufan State, Sudan.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this survey, 299 blood samples were collected randomly from six localities in North Kordufan State and were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of CCHFV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result of the study indicated that the prevalence rate of CCHF was relatively high among cattle, where serological evidence of the infection was observed in 21 (7.0%) of 299 animals. Older cattle were eight times more likely to be infected with the virus (OR=8.0824, CI=1.174-66.317, p-value=0.034). Cross breeds were at 37 time higher at risk compared to endogenous breed (OR=37.06, CI=1.455-944, p-value=0.029). Highly tick-infested cattle are 6 times higher at risk for CCHF when compared to tick-free animals (OR=6.532, CI=1.042-10.852, p-value=0.030).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is recommended that surveillance of CCHF should be extended to include other ruminant animals and to study the distribution of ticks in the region to better predict and respond to CCHF outbreak in the State of North Kordufan, Sudan.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Laboratory-MBL, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, P.O. Box 32, Khartoum North, Sudan.
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Adam
authors.forename: Mubarak A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mahmoud
authors.forename: Imadeldin E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Aradaib
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000276:immunology*; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G