Seroepidemiological studies of brucellosis in case of fever of unknown origin in Baghdad

This study was conducted in order to shade some lights on the epidemiology of Brucellosis as a health problem in our country specifically in cases with fever of unknown origin [P.U.O]. This investigation was carried out by testing 1019 serum samples for Brucellosis [collected from the cases attending medical city hospital and other out patients clinics with P.U.O] by using Widal test and Rose Bengal test. 251 samples of milk and cream milk were also tested for Brucella agglutinin by using milk ring test. The results showed that 70 sera were positive for Brucella Antigen [6.9%]: 57 for Br. Abortus and only thirteen samples were positive for Br. melatinsis. The titer of antibodies ranged from 1:80 to 1:3200. A high percentage of positive sera [7.85%] were shown for those patients above 18 years old [mean age 35 years]. The prevalence of antibody appeared to be high during Autumn [9.8%] then followed by Summer [7.9%], Spring [5.6%] and the lowest was during Winter [3.7%]. The results also revealed that the prevalence of the disease is about the same between males [6.2%] and females[7.6%]. The results of the milk ring test showed that 45 out of 251 samples of milk and cream milk were positive for Br. abortus antibodies [17.9%]. Cream milk from Abu-Grabb area were the highest of the positive samples [22.2%]

Seroepidemiology of rubella in Baghdad

The sero-epidemiological pattern of rubella was studied by using the HIA tests of 658 females of the child bearing age [15-44] in Baghdad city and 94 sera of males and female children