Epidemiology of human brucellosis (Malta fever) in Lorestan province during 2009-2017

Prevention, control or eradication of brucellosis in a country or region requires policy-making as well as accurate epidemiological statistics and information. The aim of this study was to determine some epidemiological indicators and the incidence of human brucellosis during 2009-2017 in Lorestan province.

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, the statistical population was all patients with brucellosis in Lorestan province, whose disease was diagnosed in 2009-2017. Data on 11140 cases in Lorestan province were analyzed during 9 years.

The highest and lowest incidence of brucellosis was 115.65 in 2015 and 36.53 per 100,000 population in 2010, respectively. The highest incidence was found in Aligudarz during 9-year study, with an incidence rate of 229.78 in 2009 and 166.42 per 100,000 population in 2017. Moreover, the results indicated that the highest cumulative percentage of disease (35.8) was in the age group of 25-44 years. Housewives, ranchers, villagers and males were the most affected. In all studied years, most patients (79.3%) had a history of contact with livestock and the majority of cases used unpasteurized dairy products such as milk.

Increasing awareness and improving the beliefs and behaviors of people, especially housewives, villagers, ranchers and those who deal with livestock or use dairy products can be effective to prevent brucellosis through no consumption of unpasteurized dairy products.