title: Seroepidemiological survey of tularemia among different groups in western Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The first human case of tularemia in Iran was reported in 1980 and there have been no subsequent reports of tularemia in the country. The aim of this study was to carry out a survey of tularemia among different groups in the province of Kurdistan in western Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following information was collected by means of an in-house questionnaire: participant demographic characteristics, exposure to risks, and use of appropriate personal protective equipment and disinfectant in their occupation. A blood sample was collected from each participant. Sera were tested using an ELISA kit (Virion\Serion) to detect specific IgG antibodies against Francisella tularensis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of a total of 250 serum samples, 14.40% had anti-tularemia IgG antibodies. The highest seroprevalence was found in hunters (18%) and the lowest in health care workers (12%). Age had a significant positive association with tularemia seroprevalence (p<0.001). The seroprevalence of tularemia in people exposed to foxes (hunting or eating the meat) (25%) was significantly higher than in others (8.65%) (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the findings of this study, it is highly recommended that physicians and health care workers are informed about bacteria circulating in this area. By sensitizing the health system, it is expected that some cases of the clinical disease will be reported in the near future. Similar studies in other parts of the country and on domestic and wild animals will clarify the epidemiology of tularemia in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Ave., Postal Code 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esmaeili
authors.affiliation: Center of Disease Control (CDC), Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gooya
authors.affiliation: Center of Disease Control (CDC), Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shirzadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Ave., Postal Code 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esfandiari
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Ave., Postal Code 1316943551, Tehran, Iran; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Fahimeh Bagheri
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Amiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Ave., Postal Code 1316943551, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Manijeh Yousefi
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Behzadi
authors.affiliation: Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Banafshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Ave., Postal Code 1316943551, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: mostafavi@pasteur.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012424:Rural Population; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014406:Tularemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
keywords: ELISA; Francisella tularensis; Iran; Seroprevalence; Tularemia