Epidemiological characteristics and trend of incidence of human brucellosis in Razavi Khorasan province

Background & Brucellosis is a transmissible disease between humans and animals that is transmitted through infected animals and their products. Razavi Khorasan which is classified as a high incidence province, considered as one of the notable areas for controlling the disease. The aim of this study is to identify epidemiological characteristics of the disease in Razavi Khorasan.
Data on 5743 cases in Razavi Khorasan (affiliated to Mashhad Medical University) during 5 years were analyzed.
The incidence of the disease in the province is 26 out of 100,000 people which the incidence rate in Daregaz,Takhtjolge and Roshtkhar was much higher. In the first 3 years of study the disease incidence was ascending and in last 2 years it was descending and from May to August the prevalence was more than other months.85% of patients were rural and 15% were urban. 56.9% were male and 43.1% female. Household and farmer-rancher were the most common jobs. Average age of patients was 33.4 ±18.1 year. 77.2% had consumption of unpasteurized dairy products which milk (91.4%) and cheese (21.4%) had the highest consumption. The most common symptoms were fever (79%) and anorexia (47.5%). A significant relationship between location and both livestock vaccination history and also family history, was found.
Because of higher incidence rate of the disease in Daregaz, Takhtjolge and Roshtkhar, and also young people aged 10 to 30 years and villagers, It’s need to control the disease in these groups.