Shayan Nasar Ahmad, Rahimi Ali, Stranges Saverio, Thind Amardeep
Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Herat University, Herat, Afghanistan.
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Infect Ecol Epidemiol. 2025 Jan 2;15(1):2441566. doi: 10.1080/20008686.2024.2441566. eCollection 2025.
Brucellosis remains a significant public health concern, especially in regions like the Mediterranean and Afghanistan. While its direct health effects are well-documented, its impact on quality of life is less explored. This study investigated the risk factors and quality of life effects of brucellosis in Herat, Afghanistan. Between October 2020 and February 2021, 155 participants were enrolled at Herat Regional Hospital and affiliated brucellosis laboratories. The sample included 75 individuals with confirmed brucellosis and 80 controls without a history of the disease. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, and quality of life was assessed with the SF-36. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, logistic regression, and General Linear Model. Key risk factors associated with brucellosis included marriage, lower education, contact with pets, infected family members, and using non-protected water (p < 0.05). Logistic regression confirmed increased odds of infection linked to these exposures. Quality of life assessments revealed significantly lower SF-36 scores among male patients across most components, with similar trends observed in female patients. Brucellosis significantly impacts quality of life, particularly among men, and is strongly linked to specific risk factors. Public health measures are essential to reduce infection rates and improve well-being in this region.
布鲁氏菌病仍然是一个重大的公共卫生问题，尤其是在地中海地区和阿富汗等地区。虽然其对健康的直接影响已有充分记录，但其对生活质量的影响却较少得到探讨。本研究调查了阿富汗赫拉特市布鲁氏菌病的危险因素及其对生活质量的影响。在2020年10月至2021年2月期间，赫拉特地区医院及附属布鲁氏菌病实验室招募了155名参与者。样本包括75名确诊为布鲁氏菌病的个体和80名无该病病史的对照者。使用结构化问卷收集数据，并通过SF-36评估生活质量。统计分析包括卡方检验、逻辑回归和一般线性模型。与布鲁氏菌病相关的关键危险因素包括婚姻状况、低教育水平、与宠物接触、家庭成员感染以及使用未受保护的水源（p < 0.05）。逻辑回归证实，与这些暴露因素相关的感染几率增加。生活质量评估显示，大多数方面男性患者的SF-36评分显著较低，女性患者也观察到类似趋势。布鲁氏菌病对生活质量有显著影响，尤其是在男性中，并且与特定危险因素密切相关。公共卫生措施对于降低该地区的感染率和改善健康状况至关重要。
