Investigation of Brucellosis Seropositivity in Hakkari Province over One Year: A Multicenter Cross-sectional Study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Investigation of Brucellosis Seropositivity in Hakkari Province over One Year: A Multicenter Cross-sectional StudyB rucellosis is the most prevalent zoonotic disease glob- ally, with the potential to cause significant illness in both humans and livestock.Annually, 150,000-250,000 cases of human brucellosis are documented globally.[1] The Mediterranean region, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America have a high prevalence of brucellosis.[2] The most recent data available in our country is from 2019, during which 10,244 cases of brucellosis were reported.[1] The seroprevalence of brucellosis in ours ranges from 1.3% to 26.7%.[3] The disease is more prevalent in the southeastern and eastern regions of Anatolia, where livestock farming is highly intensive.[1] As indicated by the Ministry of Health General Directorate of Public Health, Hakkari province has the highest incidence of brucellosis.[4] Objectives: Brucellosis is a prevalent zoonotic disease in developing countries, as well as Türkiye.The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of brucellosis in the Hakkari province of Türkiye over a period of 1 year.Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using serum samples from 12,742 patients in Hakkari's three main hospitals from January to December 2023.Demographic data, results of serological tests, admission time and clinics were collected and recorded.To identify seropositivity for brucellosis, the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and Standard Tube Agglutination (STA) tests were performed.Results: Of the samples, 6.6% tested positive for RBT, and 3.2% were confirmed to be seropositive for brucellosis with an STA titer of ≥1/320.The highest prevalence of brucellosis seropositivity was observed in August, with a greater prevalence among women, particularly those aged 25-44.Most patients were admitted to internal medicine clinics, and the highest seroprevalence was observed in infectious disease clinics.Seroprevalence was statistically significant across age, gender, and clinics (p<0.05).Conclusion: The present study showed that the seroprevalence of brucellosis in Hakkari province was 3.2% in 2023.Brucellosis is still endemic in our province and public health measures are needed to reduce brucellosis transmission.We believe that the results of this study will provide data for epidemiological studies in the region.
Author: Caglar Irmak
Language: English
Subfield: Small Animals
Field: Veterinary
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4411930987