Retrospective analysis of epidemiological characteristics of human brucellosis in Zhejiang Province

Abstract

Objective To understand the epidemiological distribution and epidemic situation of brucellosis cases in Zhejiang Province in 2003 - 2012. Methods Questionnaires of confirmed brucellosis cases, annual reports of prevention and control work of brucellosis in the cities and monitoring points were collected and analyzed in 2003 - 2012. Population distribution, regional distribution, infection sources and routes of infection, aetiology and clinical symptoms and signs of the brucellosis cases were analyzed descriptively. Results A total of 323 brucellosis cases were reported in 2003 - 2012, the average annual incidence rate was 0.070/one hundred thousand, the incidence rate in 2012（0.190/one hundred thousand） was high. There were 272 people of the 323 brucellosis cases were from occupational populations, accounting for 84.21%（272/323）; people worked in buying, slaughtering and trafficking of livestock products were majority of the cases, accounting for 65.02%（210/323）; and unoccupational population was accounting for 15.79%（51/323）. Regional distribution of brucellosis was gradually spreading; the average incidence rate of Shaoxing City was the highest （ 0 . 226/one hundred thousand ） . Three hundred patients were infected by sheep, accounting for 92.88%（300/323）, and only 7.12%（23/323） of the patients were infected by cattle. Two hundred and eighty-seven acute phase patients of brucellosis were checked by blood culture, and thirty-nine Brucella melitensis strains and two Brucella abortus strains were detected. The chronicity survey of 120 confirmed cases of brucellosis were conducted, chronicity rate was 3.33%（4/120）. Conclusions Trends in the epidemic situation of brucellosis in Zhejiang Province has continued to spread. The main source of infection is sheep from the North. Occupational populations are major populations at risk. The key of prevention and control is to strengthen the active monitoring of occupation personnel , health education and behavior intervention. Key words: Brucellosis; Data collection; Epidemiology