title: First report on the seroprevalence of the Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus, a tick-borne virus, in Malaysia's Orang Asli population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), which is transmitted by the ticks of Hyalomma spp. in general and H. marginatumin particular, can cause severe disease in humans, with mortality rates of 3-30%. Other than from the bites of infected ticks, CCHFV can also be transmitted through contact with patients with the acute phase of infection or contact with blood or tissues from viraemic livestock.  Outbreaks of human cases of haemorrhagic manifestations have been documented since 1945 and described in parts of Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East and most recently India in 2011. In addition, serological evidence of the disease has been reported in some countries where no human cases were reported. As regional neighbours China and India have been affected by this virus, this study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence of CCHFV among Orang Asli population of Malaysia as the most at risk people who residing in the deep forests.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 682 serum samples were collected from the Orang Asli population residing in eight states in peninsular Malaysia and analysed for the presence of anti-CCHFV immunoglobulin G (IgG) using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study subjects comprised 277 (40.6%) men and 405 (59.4%) women. However, anti-CCHFV IgG was detected in only one female serum sample (0.1%). The presence of anti-CCHFV IgG could not be correlated to age or sex from these findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this screening survey showed that the seroprevalence of the anti-CCHFV IgG among Malaysia's Orang Asli population is too low for detection or totally negative compared with that in neighbouring countries, such as India and China.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. keivan@um.edu.my.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lani
authors.forename: N F
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Mohd Rahim
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yaghoobi
authors.forename: L-Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: AbuBakar
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zandi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D003225:Hemorrhagic Fever Virus, Crimean-Congo / Q000378:metabolism*; D006479:Hemorrhagic Fever, Crimean / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D058028:Research Report; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D064927:Tick Bites / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology; D013987:Ticks; D055815:Young Adult