Tick survey and detection of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus in tick species from a non-endemic area, South Marmara region, Turkey

Abstract Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is an increasing health concern inTurkey since 2002. There were also some recent human cases from the South Marmararegion of Turkey; thus, a tick survey was performed, and possible vector tick species forthe CCHF virus were determined in the region. A total of 740 adult ticks were collectedfrom infested livestock from five locations: C¸anakkale-Biga, Bursa-Orhaneli, Bursa-Keles,Balikesir and Bilecik. Total of 11 tick species from the genera Hyalomma, Rhipicephalus,Dermacentor, Ixodes and Haemaphysalis were identified. Rhipicephalus ticks were dom-inant in the region; the most frequently observed tick species was R. turanicus, (53.1 %),and only 15.4 % of the identified ticks were H. marginatum. The occurrence of H. rufipesinfestation in the region fort he first time. A total of 73 pools of adult ticks were tested withboth an antigen-detecting ELISA and RT real-time PCR (RT rt PCR). The presence of theCCHF virus was demonstrated in 9 (12.3 %) of the tested tick pools. Although seven of thetick pools were positive for the CCHF virus with both of the methods, one pool waspositive only with RT rt PCR and the other pool was only positive with the ELISA.Positive results were obtained from ticks collected from cattle, sheep and goats from twolocations, Bursa-Orhaneli and Bilecik. The CCHF virus was detected in R. turanicus(n = 3), R. bursa (n = 2), H. marginatum (n = 2) and D. marginatus (n = 2) ticks. Theresults of this study confirm the presence of the CCHF virus and present preliminary dataon the vector tick species in the southern Marmara region of Turkey.Keywords Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever Tick survey ELISA Real-time RT-PCR Turkey