Epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in non-occupational population in Zhejiang Province, China, 2018–2024: epidemic trend and infection analysis

To clarify the epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in non-occupational populations in Zhejiang Province during 2018–2024, provide evidence for formulating targeted prevention and control strategies, and respond to the core requirement of “human-animal-environment” collaborative prevention and control under the One Health framework. Data on brucellosis cases among non‑occupational populations in Zhejiang Province were obtained from the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Individual case investigations were also carried out for the corresponding cases. After standardized collation and validation, descriptive epidemiological analyses were performed with R 4.3.1 software. A total of 499 non-occupational brucellosis cases were reported in Zhejiang Province during 2018–2024, accounting for 43.96% (499/1137) of the total brucellosis cases in the province over the same period. The proportion of non-occupational cases showed a significant year-on-year upward trend (Trend χ² test = 15.53, P < 0.001). Among the 499 cases, 317 were male and 182 were female, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.74:1. The age of patients ranged from 1 to 91 years, with a median age of 54 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 43–64 years); the median age of males was 53 years (IQR: 42–63 year) and females 55 years (IQR: 43.75–66 years). The main transmission routes were direct contact (55.31%, 276/499) and digestive tract transmission (17.43%, 87/499). The predominant clinical manifestations included fever, excessive sweating, myalgia/arthralgia and fatigue. The median interval from onset to confirmed diagnosis was 19 days (IQR: 10–43 days), indicating a certain degree of diagnostic delay. The proportion of non-occupational brucellosis cases in Zhejiang Province has increased year by year, making this population a key group that cannot be ignored in local brucellosis prevention and control. To effectively curb this trend, efforts should be made to further strengthen the popularization of brucellosis prevention and control knowledge among the general public and prioritize specialized training on brucellosis diagnostic capabilities for medical workers. The One Health framework provides a critical theoretical and practical basis for cross-sectoral interventions integrating human health, animal epidemic prevention, and environmental governance.