Brucellosis: Prevalence and retrospective evaluation of risk factors in western cities of Tehran province, Iran

Brucellosis is the commonest zoonotic disease that is spread worldwide. In this study, we aimed to compare 40 brucellosis cases with other big series in the literature in view of epidemiological and laboratory findings. A total of 40 brucellosis cases referred to Shahriar Health Center over a 3-year period were included in our study and patient files were reviewed for history and laboratory findings. Of the 40 patients, 19 (47.5%) were females and 21 (52.5%) were males. The mean age of patients was 40 ± 32 years, and 22.5% of cases were aged 24 to 32 years. 19 cases (47.5%) had a history of raising livestock and 52.5% of the cases were found to have no occupational risk for brucellosis. All cases had a history of raw milk and dairy products consumption. The standard tube agglutination (STA) test, Coombs STA test and 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) test was positive in all cases (100%). Brucellosis is a major health problem in Iran and the world. Pasteurization of milk and dairy products and education on eating habits must be pursued for eradication of human brucellosis; thus, detection of precise brucella and report to WHO is essential.   Key words: Brucellosis, Iran, risk factor.