Prevalence of Brucella spp in humans.
OBJECTIVE
to determine the seroprevalence of Brucella spp in humans.


METHODS
this is an observational study, developed with 455 individuals between 18 and 64 years old, who use the Estratégia de Saúde da Família (Brazil's family health strategy). The serum samples of volunteers underwent buffered acid antigen tests, such as screening, agar gel immunodiffusion and slow seroagglutination test in tubes and 2-Mercaptoethanol.


RESULTS
among the samples, 1.98% has responded to buffered-acid antigen, 2.85% to agar gel immunodiffusion test and 1.54% to the slow seroagglutination tests on tubes/2-Mercaptoethanol. The prevalence of Brucella spp was 4.4%, represented by the last two tests.


CONCLUSIONS
the results of this research suggest that the studied population is exposed to Brucella spp infection.
Centro Universitário Cesmac, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
Catharina de Paula Oliveira Cavalcanti
Cde P
Soares
Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
José Andreey Almeida
JA
Teles
Instituto de Química e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
Aldenir Feitosa
AF
dos Santos
Prefeitura Municipal de Arcoverde, Arcoverde, PE, Brazil.
Stemberg Oliveira Firmino
SO
Silva
Centro Universitário Cesmac, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
Maria Vilma Rocha Andrade
MV
Cruz
Centro Universitário Cesmac, Maceió, AL, Brazil.
Francisco Feliciano
FF
da Silva-Júnior
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D002002:Brucella / Q000276:immunology; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial