Epidemiological evaluation of brucellosis in Isfahan Province-Iran in 2016

Abstract

<strong>Introduction:</strong><strong> </strong>Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonosis diseases that can be seen in many developing countries, including Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of brucellosis in Isfahan province.<br /> <strong>Methods:</strong> This is a cross-sectional study in which all newly reported cases of brucellosis in Isfahan city in 2016 were studied. Sampling was done through numerical method. The statistical tests used in this study were one-way ANOVA and two-sample T-test.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> The incidence rate of brucellosis in Isfahan province in 2016 was 19.78 per 100,000. Majority of cases (590, 67.8%) were men with a mean age of 31.62 ± 20.04 years old and 32.2% (280 cases) were women with a mean age of 33.35 ± 20.26 years old. Friedan had the highest incidence rate of brucellosis (204.47 per 100,000) while Isfahan had the lowest incidence rate (1.81 per 100,000). There was a significant relationship between occupational variables (P = 0.001), history of contact with the livestock (P = 0.0001), non-pasteurized dairy consumption (P = 0.0001), and the incidence of the disease (P = 0.003) in urban and rural areas.<br /> <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The incidence rate of brucellosis in Isfahan is classified as a very low. The disease is more common in rural areas than in urban areas. Therefore, educational, preventive and therapeutic measures in rural areas, particularly in those involved with animal husbandry and homemaking, have priority over urban areas.