title: Brucellosis as a neglected disease in a neglected population: a seroepidemiological study of migratory nomads in the Fars province of Iran.
abstract: This study assessed the seroprevalence of brucellosis and its risk factors in migratory nomads in the Fars province of Iran. Active brucellosis was defined as the combination of clinical symptoms, including fever, chills, night sweats, headache, low back pain, arthralgia, or myalgia, and positive laboratory testing, including either a serum agglutination test (SAT) ⩾1:80 with a 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) test ⩾1:40, or a SAT <1:80 combined with a positive Coombs Wright test (CWT) at a titre of at least threefold higher than SAT titre results. For the 536 participants, the female (316, 59%) to male (220, 41%) ratio was 1·4 and the participants' mean age was 32·4 ± 18·9 (range 1-96) years. Of all participants, 325 (60·6%) showed clinical symptoms; in symptomatic participants, the Rose Bengal plate test was positive in 33 (6·1%) cases, the SAT was positive in 18 (3·3%) cases, and the 2-ME test was positive in 30 (5·5%) cases. Positive SAT and 2-ME results were seen in 18 (3·3%) cases, but a negative SAT and a positive CWT were found in 36 (6·7%) cases. As a result, active brucellosis was detected in 54 cases, indicating a prevalence of 10% (95% confidence interval 8-12). In conclusion, we determined that brucellosis is a prevalent yet neglected disease in this nomadic population. Brucellosis control is not possible as long as these high-risk populations remain neglected.
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Centre,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Honarvar
authors.affiliation: Shiraz HIV/AIDS Research Centre,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moghadami
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Centre,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Lankarani
authors.affiliation: Shiraz HIV/AIDS Research Centre,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Davarpanah
authors.affiliation: Shiraz HIV/AIDS Research Centre,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ataolahi
authors.affiliation: Eghlid Health Network,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farbod
authors.affiliation: Eghlid Health Network,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eskandari
authors.affiliation: Eghlid Health Network,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Panahi
authors.affiliation: Eghlid Health Network,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghorbani
authors.affiliation: Eghlid Health Network,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zahiri
authors.affiliation: Health Policy Research Centre,Shiraz University of Medical Sciences,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tabrizi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science,School of Veterinary Medicine,Shiraz University,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pourjafar
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science,School of Veterinary Medicine,Shiraz University,Shiraz,Iran.
authors.forename: S M M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Heidari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058069:Neglected Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial
keywords: Brucellosis; migratory; neglected; nomad; serology; study