A Seroepidemiological Survey of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus among Goats and Sheep in Lezhe-Torovica Province, Albania

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a zoonotic vector-born viral disease with a case fatality rate of 2-50% in human. CCHFV is classified within the Nairovirus genus in the Bunyaviridae family. The virus was found in over 30 countries, including Albania. A brought spectrum of animals can be infected by CCHFV without showing clinical symptoms. The virus can be transmitted mainly through direct contact with blood or tissues from infected livestock or through bites of Hyalomma ticks. The aim of this study was to examine the distribution of CCHFV among sheep and goats in Lezha-Torovica region of Albania. This survey was carried out in 2013. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of 9 sheep and 10 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 methods 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. The prevalence owas much higher in goats than this infection in animals is obviously different, in goats is higher than in sheep, respectively 90% and 22%. It is recommended that further studies be carried out on additional livestock, high-risk groups of humans, and ticks, to determine the CCHF disease status in Lezha-Torovica.