Seroprevalence and associated risk factors of selected zoonotic viral hemorrhagic fevers in Tanzania

•Overall, 12.8% of the population in Tanzania had been exposed to viral hemorrhagic fevers•Highest seroprevalence (4.8%) was due to Rift Valley fever antibodies•Lowest seroprevalence (1.2%) was due to Marburg virus disease antibodies•Contact with wild animals and keeping goats were associated with Rift Valley fever seropositivity•Contact with bats was associated with Marburg virus disease seropositivity To determine the seroprevalence of selected zoonotic viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) and their associated risk factors in Tanzania. Blood samples were collected from consenting outpatients and community members in eight districts selected from five ecological zones of Tanzania. Serum was harvested and tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and M (IgM) antibodies against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), Ebola virus disease (EVD), Marburg virus disease (MVD), Rift Valley fever (RVF), and yellow fever (YF). The presence of IgM and IgG antibodies against CCHF, EVD, MVD, RVF, and YF was detected in 64 of 500 samples (12.8%). The prevalences of IgM and IgG antibodies to CCHF, EVD, MVD, RFV, and YF were 2.0%, 3.4%, 1.2%, 4.8%, and 1.4%, respectively. Contact with wild animals (OR = 1.2, CI = 1.3–1.6) and keeping goats (OR = 1.3, CI = 1.5–1.9) were significantly associated with RVF, while contact with bats (OR = 1.2, CI = 1.1–1.5) was associated with MVD. The findings of this study provide evidence of exposure to CCHF, EVD, MVD, RVF, and YF in Tanzania. Since most of these VHFs occurred without apparent clinical forms of the disease, these findings call for the need to strengthen the surveillance system and management of febrile illnesses in Tanzania.