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A Field Study of Plague and Tularemia in Rodents, Western Iran Publisher Pubmed



Mostafavi E1, 2 ; Shahraki AH1, 2 ; Japoninejad A1 ; Esmaeili S1, 2, 3 ; Darvish J4 ; Sedaghat MM5 ; Mohammadi A1, 5 ; Mohammadi Z4 ; Mahmoudi A4 ; Pourhossein B1, 2, 6 ; Ghasemi A1, 2, 3 ; Gyuranecz M7 ; Carniel E8
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Research Centre for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases, National Reference Laboratory of Plague, Tularemia and Q Fever, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Kabudar Ahang, Hamadan, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Pasteur Institute of Iran, No. 69, Pasteur Avenue, Tehran, 1316943551, Iran
  3. 3. Department of Bacteriology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
  4. 4. Rodentology Research Department, Applied Animal Institute, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
  5. 5. School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  6. 6. Department of Virology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  7. 7. Institute for Veterinary Medical Research, Centre for Agricultural Research, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
  8. 8. Yersinia Research Unit, National Reference Laboratory, WHO Collaborating Center for Yersinia, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

Source: Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Published:2017


Abstract

Introduction: Kurdistan Province in Iran is a historical focus for plague and tularemia. This study aimed at assessing the current status of these two foci by studying their rodent reservoirs. Materials and Methods: Rodents were trapped and their ectoparasites were collected. The genus and species of both rodents and ectoparasites were determined. Serological analyses of rodent blood samples were done by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for plague and by standard tube agglutination assay for tularemia. Rodent spleen samples were subjected to bacterial culture, microscopic examination, and real-time PCR to search for active plague or tularemia infection. Results: During this study, 245 rodents were trapped, of which the most abundant genera were Apodemus (40%), Mus (24.49%), and Meriones (12.65%). One hundred fifty-three fleas, 37 mites, and 54 ticks were collected on these rodents. The results of all direct and indirect tests were negative for plague. Serological tests were positive for tularemia in 4.8% of trapped rodents. Discussion: This study is the first report on the presence of tularemia infection in rodents in Western Iran. Since Meriones persicus is a known reservoir for plague and tularemia, and this rodent carried plague and tularemia vectors in Marivan and Sanandaj districts, there is a real potential for the occurrence of these two diseases in this region. Copyright © 2017, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.