Abstract:

This study was conducted to determine brucellosis seropositivity in patients suspected of having brucellosis who sought treatment at the Central Laboratory of Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospital in southeast Turkey (Diyarbakır). 20,663 serum samples were collected during the study (1 August 2001-31 December 2002), and 14,480 sera were tested in a 12-month period on a seasonal basis by Rose-Bengal slide agglutination (RBSA), and positive sera were titrated by standard tube agglutination (STA). Titration values of 1/160 and above were considered positive. Of the 20663 sera, 463 (2.2%) tested positive on RBSA. Of these 463 sera, 267 (57.6%) tested positive on STA, with titers of 1/160 and higher. Seasonally, hospital attendance was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. On STA tests done on RBSA-positive samples, the highest concentration of titers of 1/160+ was in the spring. In order to eliminate brucellosis in southeast Turkey, an endemic region for the disease, precautions must be increased, the unregulated slaughtering and consumption of animals must be prevented, and the consumption of raw, unpasteurized milk and of dairy products made from such milk must be halted.

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