Sero-prevalence of brucellosis among livestock animal owners in sana'a area, yemen

الملخص AR

Objective: To assess the seroprevalence of brucellosis among livestock owners and to examine risk factors for infection in Sana'a Governorate, Yemen.

Methods: A cross- sectional study was conducted.

All livestock owners in 5 randomly selected areas were included in the study and compared with an unexposed group.

Epidemiological information and socioeconomic data on the exposed and non-exposed groups were gathered along with information concerning direct and indirect exposure to livestock by interviewing volunteers using a structured questionnaire.

The sera of 798 individuals (399 exposed cases and 399 non-exposed) were tested using standard tube agglutination test to indicate positive serology for brucellosis Rusult: There was a significantly higher seroprevalence of brucellosis (P=0.003) among the exposed group (4.8%) compared with the nonexposed sample (1.25%).

In addition, a high risk of contracting brucellosis was found to be associated with ownership cf livestock (R.R = 3.8) and with direct and indirect contact with livestock: milking, R.R =5.2; handling newborn, R.R = 10.2; handling aborted materials, R.R = 15.9; slaughtering, R.R = 3.7; ingestion of raw milk R.R = 2.58; and ingestion of raw liver, R.R = 4.8).

Conclusion: There is an immediate need for doctors in Yemen to be made aware of the frequency of this infection, especially in livestock owners, while strategies to control the disease are formulated and field-tested.