Brucellosis: A Retrospective Sero-epidemiological Study

Abstract

Introduction: Brucellosis is one of the most important worldwide zoonotic diseases caused by the bacterial genus Brucella. It is frequently misdiagnosed and can therefore lead to inappropriate treatment and prolonged disease. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of human brucellosis cases and compare it with the national average and the number of goat brucellosis cases in Algeria. Materials and methods: A total of 3223 patients suspected of brucellosis were collected during 2008-2015 in Djelfa, central Algeria. Rose Bengal test and Wright's serum agglutination were used for the diagnosis. Results: The number of positive cases was 1281 (39.74%), including 743 (58.04%) men and 537 (41.96%) women, resulting in a ratio of 1.38. Men were infected more than women. The number of positive cases was observed frequently between April and September. However, there was no significant difference among the investigated years in terms of infection. The highest prevalence was observed in individuals aged between 11 and 30 years (21.62-22.32%). The seroprevalence of human brucellosis in the current study in Djelfa was significantly higher, compared to the national level. The number of animals (goats) and human cases reported at the national level and Djelfa followed a similar trend. Conclusion: Brucellosis still remains a serious public health threat in the study area. Epidemiological surveillance of brucellosis should be considered a priority in order to reduce the prevalence of human and animal brucellosis.