title: Investigation of brucellosis in a female agricultural population in Turkey.
abstract: Much epidemiological information concerning brucellosis generally depends on the evaluation of hospital-based retrospective data. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of brucellosis in female farmworkers in the south-eastern region of Turkey (GAP) in order to obtain a more representative analysis. Our representative community-based cross-sectional study was conducted during four months of 2013, in all nine GAP provinces. An optimum sample size was determined and blood samples were analysed from 707 reproductive-age female farmworkers using the Rose Bengal (RBT) and standard (SAT) agglutination tests. Sociodemographic information was collected during face-to-face interviews with consenting subjects. Crude odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and chi-square analyses and logistic regression were performed. Employment as a seasonal farmworker and having had five or more pregnancies were the only risk factors found to be significant. This study implies much greater priority needs be given to the control, early diagnosis and treatment in this population.
authors.affiliation: 1 Assistant Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology, Vocational School of Health Services, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nebiye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yentur Doni
authors.affiliation: 2 Lecturer, Department of Medical Microbiology, Vocational School of Health Services, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulcan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gurses
authors.affiliation: 3 Professor, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.affiliation: 4 Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fadile
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yildiz Zeyrek
authors.affiliation: 5 Assistant, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gozde
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yasar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000382:Agricultural Workers' Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012395:Rose Bengal; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D012395:Rose Bengal
keywords: Brucellosis; Rose Bengal test (RBT); agricultural female farmworkers; reproductive-aged women; standard agglutination test (SAT)