Human Brucellosis: Seroprevalence, Risk Factors and Barriers of Protection among Slaughterhouses’Workers in El-Menia Governorate, Egypt

Background: Brucellosis is a disabling occupational disease and an important public health problem.
Aim: To define the seroprevalence of brucellosis among slaughterhouses workers in El-Menia governorate and to define their personal risk factors.
Subjects and methods: The study was conducted on 211 subjects of different occupations, working in 11 slaughterhouses in six districts in El-Menia governorate. These districts and slaughterhouses were chosen randomly. A cross-section, analytic study design was chosen to perform this research. Subjects were submitted to interviewing, physical examination, and lab tests (standard agglutination test (SAT) and ELISA).
Results: Brucella seroprevalence, among slaughterhouses workers, using SAT and confirmed by ELISA was 31.3%. Most of +ve Brucella Abs were males (92.4%) with infection rate 31.4%. The infection rate was more in the age group 40-49 years (37.9%). Also,it was more among veterinary workers (37.0%). The study showed although there was no significant risk regarding seroprevalence in relation to duration of exposure, there was a tendency towards increase in seroprevalence with an increase in duration of exposure.The only significant risk factor for +ve serology of Brucella was working in rural slaughter-houses (OR=1.92). Fever, back pain, myalgia, fatigue, abdominal pain and hepatomegaly were statistically significant differ between +ve and -ve Brucella serology subjects. But, fever and hearing loss were statistically significant differ among +ve Brucella species serology cases.
Conclusion and recommendation: Brucellosis is a prevalent occupational disease in Egypt. Further studies need to be done to understand the epidemiology of brucellosis in different areas and occupations in Egypt.