Background and Objective: Brucellosis is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, and its prevalence in humans is closely related to the occurrence of the disease in animals. People who are in direct contact with livestock, such as veterinarians, farmers, and slaughterhouse workers, are at higher risk of contracting this disease. Brucellosis is considered a major health and economic problem in many countries in the Middle East, including Iran. Human infection with brucellosis occurs through direct contact with infected animals or contaminated dairy products. According to studies conducted in Lorestan province, which show contamination of both animals and humans with brucellosis, and considering that veterinary staff are considered a high-risk group due to their contact with animals, this study was conducted to diagnose the acute form of brucellosis in veterinary staff in Lorestan province using the indirect ELISA method.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted from December 2018 to June 2019. A total of 92 veterinary staff members with a history of contact with livestock, who voluntarily agreed to participate, were included in the study. Ten milliliters of blood were collected from each participant. The collected samples were transferred to the laboratory, where the serum was separated from the blood samples using a centrifuge. The serum was then tested for Brucella antibodies using the indirect ELISA kit.
Findings and Conclusion: Out of the 92 samples tested, 14 samples (15.21%) were positive, 72 samples (78.26%) were negative, and 6 samples (6.52%) were suspicious. The present study indicates that brucellosis is present among veterinary staff in Lorestan province, which may be attributed to their occupation and increased contact with livestock.