Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia.
Acta Trop. 2012 Aug;123(2):111-6. doi: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2012.04.007. Epub 2012 Apr 28.
The objective of the present study was to measure seroepidemiology of Rift Valley Fever virus infection in the Southwestern regions of Saudi Arabia and to determine the potential risk factors leading to Rift Valley Fever virus infection. Through a series of field trips to the study area (Jizan, Aseer and Al-Qunfuda), a random sample of the general population (patients and their relatives) attending the outpatients' clinics for any reasons were included. Through questionnaire interviews, data were collected regarding their sociodemographic status, housing conditions, animal contact and other relevant information. Blood samples were taken and tested for RVF-specific IgG and IgM utilizing commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Out of 2322 persons included in the study, only 139 were positive for RVF-specific IgG thus giving an overall prevalence of 6.0%. On the other hand, none of the study samples were found to be sero-positive to RVF-specific IgM. The study revealed zero prevalence of specific IgM and IgG among pre-school children born after the 2000-2001 outbreaks. Using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis to identify potential risk factors associated with sero-positive RVF IgG, the following significant risk factors were identified: lack of electricity, having animals in the house, history of slaughtering animals, contact with or transporting aborted animals. The study documented the lack of recent RVF activity among humans in the study areas since the outbreak of 2000 and therefore, the rigorous control measures undertaken together with fostering public health messages in the region should be maintained to reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission as a result of unsafe animal husbandry and slaughtering practices.
本研究旨在测量沙特阿拉伯西南部裂谷热病毒感染的血清流行病学，并确定导致裂谷热病毒感染的潜在危险因素。通过对研究区域（吉赞、阿西尔和古努法达）的一系列实地考察，随机选取因任何原因就诊的门诊患者（患者及其亲属）作为样本。通过问卷调查，收集有关他们社会人口统计学状况、住房条件、动物接触和其他相关信息的数据。采集血样，利用商业上可获得的酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）检测 RVF 特异性 IgG 和 IgM。在纳入研究的 2322 人中，只有 139 人 RVF 特异性 IgG 检测呈阳性，总阳性率为 6.0%。另一方面，研究样本均未检测到 RVF 特异性 IgM 呈血清阳性。研究显示，2000-2001 年疫情爆发后出生的学龄前儿童中，特异性 IgM 和 IgG 的患病率均为零。使用多变量二项逻辑回归分析来确定与 RVF 阳性 IgG 相关的潜在危险因素，确定了以下显著危险因素：缺乏电力、家中有动物、有屠宰动物的历史、接触或运输流产动物。研究记录了自 2000 年疫情爆发以来，研究区域内人类最近没有裂谷热活动，因此，应继续采取严格的控制措施，并在该地区宣传公共卫生信息，以减少由于不安全的动物养殖和屠宰实践导致动物向人类传播的风险。
