title: Spatio-temporal clusters of incident human brucellosis cases in Ecuador.
abstract: This study aimed to determine whether variations in the incidence of reported cases of human brucellosis in Ecuador were clustered in space and time. In addition, the effects of cattle and small ruminant population density and other socio-economic factors on the incidence were investigated. Significant space-time clusters were found in the northern and southern highlands and parts of Ecuadorian Amazonia. Customs of people, cattle, goat and sheep population density appeared to influence the incidence of brucellosis. In this study, the incidence of reported cases of human brucellosis was found to be higher in the highlands (sierra) and in municipalities near Peru and Colombia. The results of this study highlight the need for prevention and control measures aimed at abating the incidence of brucellosis among livestock and humans.
authors.affiliation: Centro Internacional de Zoonosis, P.O. Box: 17-03-100, Geronimo Leyton SN y Gato Sobral, Ciudadela Universitaria, Quito, Ecuador.
authors.forename: Lenin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ron
authors.forename: Washington
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Benitez
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Speybroeck
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ron
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saegerman
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berkvens
authors.forename: Emmanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abatih
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002417:Cattle; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004484:Ecuador / Q000453:epidemiology; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D011156:Population Density; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012756:Sheep; D062211:Spatio-Temporal Analysis; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000453:epidemiology