title: Agglutinins for brucellae antigens in blood sera of an urban and rural population in Kenya.
abstract: The antibody titres for Brucella arbotus and Br. melitensis in 364 sera from healthy individuals in Nairobi and Naivasha are presented. A majority (96%) had no detectable agglutinins. Reactivity was markedly higher in the Naivasha serum samples, than in those from Nairobi. In Naivasha, seven per cent showed reactivity, whereas in Nairobi a larger majority (98%), showed no reactivity, with antibody titres ranging from 1:20-1:160. Age and sex were found to have no effect on antibody titre distribution in the two populations. The presence of brucellae antibodies in the healthy population screened (with titres upto 1:80) may be due to exposure to brucellae antigens, rather than denoting brucellosis, this titre could therefore be taken as the baseline in the healthy Kenyan population.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Laboratories, Nairobi.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jumba
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Mwaura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests / Q000592:standards*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002003:Brucella abortus / Q000276:immunology*; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012016:Reference Values; D012423:Rural Health; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial