title: Serological survey of tularemia among butchers and slaughterhouse workers in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis. Human infections often occur through manipulation of infected animals or animal carcasses.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we determined the tularemia seroprevalence in butchers and slaughterhouse workers in 10 counties of Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A mean seroprevalence of 6.5% for IgG antibodies against F. tularensis was seen. The highest seropositivity rates were observed in the counties of Zabol and Nikhshahr. There was no difference in the seroprevalence rates between butchers and slaughterhouse workers (p=0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that tularemia is endemic in Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (Akanlu), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Kabudar-Ahang, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esmaeili
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (Akanlu), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Kabudar-Ahang, Hamadan, Iran.
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Esfandiari
authors.affiliation: CNR Francisella, Laboratoire de Bactériologie, Département des Agents Infectieux, Institut de Biologie et de Pathologie, CHU de Grenoble, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France LAPM, CNRS UMR EAFC, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Max
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maurin
authors.affiliation: Center of Disease Control (CDC), Ministry of Health, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gouya
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, 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, Tehran, Iran Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (Akanlu), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Kabudar-Ahang, Hamadan, Iran mostafavi@pasteur.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mostafavi
mesh_terms: D000003:Abattoirs; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Francisella tularensis; Iran; Seroprevalence; Sistan and Baluchestan Province; Tularemia; Zoonosis