Background: Brucellosis is a significant important reemerging endemic zoonotic transmissible disease in India but often neglected. It still poses a noteworthy threat to human health in India, in particular, to the rural population who are principally engaged in agriculture, including animal husbandry, thus are in close contact with domestic animals.
Objective: To study the seroprevalence of brucellosis among contacts of the cases in rural area of North Karnataka.
Materials and Methods: A case contact-based epidemiological study was undertaken followed by identification of 190 close contacts at Kadoli village of Belagavi taluk and district. Serological screening test of provisionally diagnosed cases were done by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) and standard agglutination test (SAT); repeat SAT was done using 2-mercaptoethanal (2-ME) blocking agent. Data were expressed as percentages, and statistical analysis was done using X2 test.
Result: Of the total 190 contacts of the cases, 90 (47.4%) of them showed signs and symptoms suggestive of brucellosis and were screened by RBPT, which showed positivity in 42.2% of them. Seroprevalence of brucellosis using SAT with titer of 160 IU/mL or above was found to be 28.8% among clinical suspects.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a high seroprevalence of brucellosis in the rural area, among the contacts who are often neglected or misdiagnosed. The risk of developing brucellosis was attributed to unsafe animal handling and consumption of unpasteurized milk. Apparently low incidence is an illusion, as many cases go unreported. A high level of suspicion is needed for early detection and the right treatment.
Key words: Brucellosis, rural area, epidemiological study, standard agglutination test
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