Prevalence of brucellosis among man and animal in three different Egyptian localities

ABSTRACT

A total of 150 human serum samples were collected from 60 patients admitted to Fever Hospitals with pyrexia of unknown origin and 90 from apparently healthy persons in close contact with cattle. Sixty three [42%] samples showed serological evidence of brucella infection using ELISA technique for the detection of IgG and IgA specific antibodies for brucella. Fifteen [25%] pyrexial cases and 48 [53%] apparently healthy subjects in close contact with cattle had specific antibodies to brucella. Milkers and butchers had the highest incidence of brucella infection followed by veterinarian and animal attendants, while office employees and agricultural engineers showed the least incidence. In addition, 300 serum samples and 300 milk samples were collected from 3 different farms, 58 bovine serum samples showed IgG and IgA specific to Brucella abortus using ELlSA, while only 28 milk samples had an evidence of brucella infection using MRT. From serological point of view, ELlSA method was found highly sensitive and specific compared to CFT, RBPT and STAT respectively for laboratory diagnosis of brucella infection in man and animal. Rose Bengal Plate test and Milk Ring test, are still simple, rapid and economic screening techniques in contract to the technically expensive difficult and time consuming culture methods. The data presented, showed high prevalence of human and bovine brucellosis in two farms [Embaba and Sharkia] compared to that form in Cairo which showed the least