Clinical investigation about the zoonotic situation of brucellosis in rural area of Salaheddin governorate-Iraq

Abstract

Brucellosis is a common zoonotic disease affecting half a million people annually. The most common way of infection is caused by consuming unpasteurized milk and contaminated milk products, as well as direct contact with animals and aborted cases. The general manifestations are those of fever with generalized symptoms. In this study , we investigated clinically the seroprevalence of brucellosis in rural area of Salaheddin  governorate which was compared to the seroprevalence of the disease of other related studies that was done in urban area of the Salaheddin province.  Blood samples as well as serum samples were collected which then went through serological tests that include both ELISA and rose Bengal test. The results of our study indicated that the positivity for livestock keepers of sera were 23 % in rose Bengal test and 18 % in ELISA test while the percentages in animals were 15 % rose Bengal test and 9 % in ELISA test in both cow and balls which was significantly higher than the prevalence that was done in urban area of Salaheddin province. Taken together, our data indicated that direct contact to the animals may be one of the reasons which may explain the high number of cases compare that to the urban area.