Internal Medicine Services Division, Dhahran Health Center, Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization, Saudi Aramco, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
J Infect Public Health. 2009;2(2):81-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jiph.2009.03.003. Epub 2009 May 27.
The aim of the study was to examine the epidemiology of human brucellosis in a helath-care system in Eastern Saudi Arabia.
All cases of human brucellosis from 1983 to 2007 were analyzed.
In the study period, there were 913 patients with brucellosis in the Saudi Aramco health-care system. There were 608 males and 305 females with a male to female ratio of (2:1). The annual incidence rate per 100,000 populations increased from 13 to 70 in 1983 and 1987, respectively, then decreased to 9 in 2006. The age of the patients ranged from 1 to 83 years with a mean age of 35.8+/-17.9 years and a median of 36 years. Of the total patients, 195 (21%) and 155 (17%) cases occurred in those between 20-30 and 31-40 years of age, respectively. Children (< or =10 years of age) constituted 5% of all the patients. The adjusted rate per 100,000 population showed that the highest rate was in those 40-49 years of age (100/100,000) and the lowest rate was in patients less than 10 years of age (2.9/100,000). The number of cases was highest in April to June (n=361; 39.5%) and the lowest reported cases were in January. Of the 219 patients whom their families had animals, 125 (57.1%) had camels, 49 (22.4%) had sheep, 24 (11%) had goats, and 21 (9.6%) had cows. Blood cultures were positive in 80.7% (201/247) of cases. There was no association between age group and the rate of positive blood culture (P value=0.244). The titer of brucella serology was 1:320 in 34.3%, 1:640 in 31%, 1:1280 in 24.7%, > or =1:2560 in 10%. The higher brucella titers were associated with higher rate of positive cultures (P value=0.0002).
There was a decrease in the incidence of brucellosis over the study period. The highest incidence was in patients 40-49 years of age. Continued surveillance and efforts are needed to further decrease the cases of brucellosis.
研究目的是调查沙特阿拉伯东部一个医疗保健系统中人类布鲁氏菌病的流行病学情况。
对 1983 年至 2007 年期间所有布鲁氏菌病病例进行分析。
在研究期间，沙特阿美医疗保健系统中共有 913 例布鲁氏菌病患者。其中男性 608 例，女性 305 例，男女比例为（2:1）。1983 年和 1987 年，每 10 万人的发病率分别从 13 例增加到 70 例，然后在 2006 年降至 9 例。患者年龄为 1 至 83 岁，平均年龄为 35.8+/-17.9 岁，中位数为 36 岁。在所有患者中，20-30 岁和 31-40 岁的患者分别占 195 例（21%）和 155 例（17%）。<10 岁的儿童占所有患者的 5%。调整后的每 10 万人发病率显示，发病率最高的是 40-49 岁人群（100/100,000），发病率最低的是<10 岁人群（2.9/100,000）。病例数最多的是 4 月至 6 月（n=361；39.5%），报告的病例数最少的是 1 月。在 219 名家中有动物的患者中，125 名（57.1%）有骆驼，49 名（22.4%）有绵羊，24 名（11%）有山羊，21 名（9.6%）有奶牛。血培养阳性率为 80.7%（201/247）。年龄组与血培养阳性率之间无相关性（P 值=0.244）。布鲁氏菌血清学滴度为 1:320 占 34.3%，1:640 占 31%，1:1280 占 24.7%，>或=1:2560 占 10%。较高的布鲁氏菌滴度与更高的培养阳性率相关（P 值=0.0002）。
研究期间布鲁氏菌病的发病率呈下降趋势。发病率最高的是 40-49 岁人群。需要继续进行监测和努力，以进一步降低布鲁氏菌病的发病率。
