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ISDS 2018 Conference Abstracts

Epizootologic Potential of Certain Natural Foci 
Infections in Northeastern Armenia
Arsen Manucharyan*
Laboratory of Epizootology, Ectoparasitology and Entomology, RA MOH, NCDCP SNCO, Reference Laboratory Center branch, 
Yerevan, Armenia

Objective
The objective of this study was to analyze the epizootic potential 

of four areas of Tavush Marz.

Introduction
Tavush Marz, in northeastern Armenia, occupies 9,1% of its 

territory. In recent years in this area either no surveys were conducted 
or they were incomplete. Tavush Marz is a tourism center as well as a 
border Marz with strategic importance. The presence of tularemia was 
first confirmed in 1949 in Noyemberyan. Natural foci of tularemia are 
located in forest zones where Sylvemus uralensis and its flea vectors 
are the source of infection.

Methods
Tests were conducted in four areas of Tavush Marz. Materials 

for laboratory analyses were collected via sampling from animal 
populations and their nests; insect traps, nets, aspirators were used 
as well. Collected rodents, fleas and mosquitoes were tested on 
the presence of natural foci especially dangerous infections. The 
acquired data with coordinates of collection sites were included in 
the geographic database.

Results
The first detection of the Aedes albopictus species of Culicoidea 

subfamily in Armenia was on the border between Noyemberyan and 
Georgia in 2016; this is a vector of especially dangerous infections 
and arboviruses. The presence of the mosquito was confirmed in 2017 
and it makes up 13.5% of the mosquitoes collected in the northeast. 
It is capable of transmitting the chikungunya, Dengue, and West Nile 
viruses. Since the end of 2015, we have recorded a significant increase 
in carriers and vectors, mainly S. uralensis, Microtus socialis, and 
ectoparasites specific to them. In October 2016 six cases of infection 
with tularemia were recorded in the village of Tsakhkavan in Tavush 
region and in Bagratashen Village of Noyemberyan region in 2017.

Conclusions
Analysis of the density of rodents and vectors, as well as their 

typical ectoparasites leads us to conclude that there are favorable 
conditions for the spread of not only tularemia but also other natural 
foci infections and that a comprehensive and regular epizootological 
survey is required to control this situation.

Average Density of Sylvemus uralensis per Hectare

Average density of M. socialis per hectare

Fleas characteristic to S. uralensis and M. socialis

Keywords
epizootologic potential; natural foci; tularemia

*Arsen Manucharyan
E-mail: arsen.manucharyan.1976@mail.ru

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics * ISSN 1947-2579 * http://ojphi.org * 10(1):e117, 2018