Serological Survey of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Kolonje-Erseke, Albania

ARTA LUGAJ1 BLERTA LAZE2 MARC MERTENS3 MARTIN H. GROSCHUP3 ISOLDE SCHUSTER3 KRISTAQ BERXHOLI4

1-2Department of Biology, “Ismail Qemali” University of Vlora, Albania

3Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Greifswald, Germany

4Department of Veterinary Public Health, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania

Corresponding author e-mail: lugajarta@gmail.com

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Abstract

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral zoonosis which occurs widely in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia within the distribution range of ticks of the genus Hyalomma. The CCHF virus (CCHFV) belongs to the Nairovirus genus (family Bunyaviridae) and causes a severe disease in humans, with a reported mortality rate of 3–30%. The geographic range of CCHFV is the most extensive of the medically significant tick-borne viruses. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of CCHFV among the cattle, sheep and goats in Kolonje-Erseke region of Albania. This survey was carried out in 2013. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 54 cattles, 29 sheep and 9 goats. The samples were immediately taken to the laboratory and their serum separated by centrifugation with 3500 rpm in 10 minutes. The sera were kept in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana, at -20°C until analysis. They were tested with an immunological method using indirect ELISA at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), Greifswald Germany. Through this technique it was possible to identify CCHFV-specific IgG antibodies in serum samples of infected animals. From these results we had an indication about the prevalence of CCHF infection respectively, 7,4% in cattles, 96,5% in sheep and 88.8% in goats. This study can clearly confirms the presence of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in a high level 64,2% in livestock in Kolonje-Erseke region of Albania.

Keywords: CCHFV, Hyalomma, Indirect ELISA, IgG antibodies, FLICrimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral zoonosis which occurs widely in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia within the distribution range of ticks of the genus Hyalomma. The CCHF virus (CCHFV) belongs to the Nairovirus genus (family Bunyaviridae) and causes a severe disease in humans, with a reported mortality rate of 3–30%. The geographic range of CCHFV is the most extensive of the medically significant tick-borne viruses. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of CCHFV among the cattle, sheep and goats in Kolonje-Erseke region of Albania. This survey was carried out in 2013. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 54 cattles, 29 sheep and 9 goats. The samples were immediately taken to the laboratory and their serum separated by centrifugation with 3500 rpm in 10 minutes. The sera were kept in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University of Tirana, at -20°C until analysis. They were tested with an immunological method using indirect ELISA at Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI), Greifswald Germany. Through this technique it was possible to identify CCHFV-specific IgG antibodies in serum samples of infected animals. From these results we had an indication about the prevalence of CCHF infection respectively, 7,4% in cattles, 96,5% in sheep and 88.8% in goats. This study can clearly confirms the presence of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus (CCHFV) in a high level 64,2% in livestock in Kolonje-Erseke region of Albania.

Keywords: CCHFV, Hyalomma, Indirect ELISA, IgG antibodies, FLI

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