Epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical characteristics of brucellosis in Behbahan County, Southwest Iran, during the years 2000-2021

Background: Brucellosis is a major health and economic problem in many parts of the world, including Iran. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical aspects of the disease in Behbahan County during 2000-2021. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, we used a checklist that included epidemiologic, demographic, and clinical characteristics of patient data from Behbahan Medical Sciences Health Centers. SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis Results: Of the 258 brucellosis cases, 137 (53%) were male, with the highest prevalence in the 20–29 age group. The disease was more common among pastoralists (42%) and rural men (54%). The first six months of the year, especially May, had the highest infection rate (47 cases). Consumption of unsterilized dairy (88.8%) was identified as the primary mode of transmission. The average incidence was 6 cases per 100,000 population, peaking at 18.1% in 2021. Doxycycline and Rifampin were the most commonly prescribed drugs. The highest titers in the tests were 1:160 for Wright, 1:160 for Coombs’ Wright, and 1:80 for 2ME (mercaptoethanol). Musculoskeletal pain was the most common symptom (95%), while weight loss was the least reported (5%). Conclusion: Considering the increasing trend of disease prevalence in Behbahan County, it seems necessary to implement preventive measures such as vaccination, public education, increased cooperation between the Veterinary Office and Behbahan University of Medical Sciences, as well as monitoring the distribution of meat and dairy products at the local level to prevent the spread of the disease.