Özet:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sero­positivity of rickettsial infections (rickettsioses) and to assess risky behaviors for rickettsioses in North Anatolia, which have dense tick population. Materials and methods: Blood samples of 409 voluntary participants were collected in a cross-sectional seropreva­lence research in Samsun-Tekkeköy and 171 from Samsun Regional Laboratory, KTÜ Medical Faculty/Clinic of Infection Diseases and Tokat State Hospital to determine regional characteristics and risk factors of rickettsial infections. The total sample size was 580 persons. A standard questionnaire was performed by a face to face interview with participants. The 0-4 age group children were not included. The presence of anti-Rickettsia IgG antibodies was tested in blood samples with Indirect Immunoflourescein Antibody (IFA) method. Results: Spotted fever group anti-Rickettsia IgG antibody seropositivity was detected in 68 (11.7%) blood samples. Contrarily, typhus group anti-Rickettsia IgG antibody se­ropositivity was not found in any participant. With bivariate analyses following variables were found to be significantly correlated with rickettsia seropositivity: education status (p=0.015), age (p=0.001), working in farm (p=0.008), working in garden (p=0.022), agricultural activities (p=0.001), being interested in relaxation activity (p=0.009), animal breeding (p=0.007), milking (p=0.001) and exposure to wild animals (p=0.004). With logistic regression analysis; age [Risk Odds Ratio ‘ROR\'=1.03 (95% GA=1.02-1.05)] and exposure to wild animals [ROR=1.97 (95% GA=1.12-3.46)] were found to be associated with increased seropositivity. Conclusions: Our results supported the existence of rick­ettsial diseases in Turkey. Further seroepidemiological in­vestigations are needed to detect incidence/prevalences of rickettsioses and related risky behaviors in our country.

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