• Onder Ergönül, Herve Zeller, Selçuk Kiliç, Selda Kutlu, Murat Kutlu, Senel Cavusoglu, Berrin Esen, and Başak Dokuzoğuz.
• Ankara Numune Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. onderegonul@yahoo.com
• Int. J. Infect. Dis. 2006 Nov 1; 10 (6): 465-9.

ObjectivesWe aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus, Brucella spp, and Coxiella burnetii among veterinarians in a highly endemic and a non-endemic region for these infections in Turkey.MethodsThe antibody levels against these three infections were surveyed. Eighty-three veterinarians were included from two distinct geographic regions.ResultsCCHF IgG positivity (3% vs. 0%) and Brucella agglutination titer of > or =1/160 (33% vs. 5%) were more common in the endemic region, whereas the rates of Coxiella burnetii antibodies were similar (7% and 8%). A history of tick bite was significantly more common in the endemic region (35% vs. 12%, p=0.011). A multivariate analysis was performed among the veterinarians living in the endemic area, and percutaneous injuries were found to be associated with Brucella infection (OR 1.8, CI 1.09-3, p=0.022).ConclusionsVeterinarians should protect themselves against tick bites, and should use masks to prevent transmission by inhalation of zoonotic infections in endemic countries.

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