title: Sero-prevalence of brucellosis in occupationally exposed human beings of Himachal Pradesh (India).
abstract: The chief objective of respective study was to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis among occupationally exposed human beings in Himachal Pradesh. A total of 165 serum samples that were obtained from human beings from various regions of the state were screened through a battery of serological tests which included RBPT, STAT, 2-MET, dot-ELISA and indirect-ELISA. 165 of human sera samples included 42 from veterinarians, 40 shepherds, 35 livestock owners, 20 workers at veterinary hospitals/clinics, 16 abattoir workers and 12 veterinary pharmacists. The overall seroprevalence of brucellosis among occupationally exposed human beings was observed to be 6.66% showing highest in abattoir workers (18.75%) followed by pharmacists (8.33%), veterinarians (7.14%), and livestock owners (5.71%) and shepherds (5.00%). In humans it is prevalent as an occult infection or under diagnosed disease, especially; in case of abattoir workers the highest seropositivity for brucella agglutinins was observed. Indirect-ELISA and Dot-ELISA proved best in the diagnosis of brucellosis.
authors.lastname: Shalmali
authors.forename: Ashok Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chahota
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D002002:Brucella / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods