Exploring the status of brucellosis in pregnant women presented with febrile illness at different healthcare facilities of Vehari and Lodhran zones of Pakistan.

IF 3.4 2区医学 Q1 PARASITOLOGY

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Pub Date : 2025-09-15 eCollection Date: 2025-09-01 DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0013525

Syed Muhammad Tauseef Shafqat, Mian Muhammad Awais, Ulas Acaroz, Masood Akhtar, Abdul Sammad Ali Khan Shirwany, Imran Rasool, Naseer Ali Shah

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Abstract

Background: Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease which causes stillbirth and abortion in pregnant women. It remains undiagnosed due to nonspecific symptoms like febrility, a very common ailment sign. Accordingly, this study was conducted to determine the seroprevalence and risk-determinants of brucellosis among pregnant women presented with febrile condition to healthcare facilities of Vehari and Lodhran regions of southern Punjab-Pakistan.

Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a total of 250 pregnant women with febrile condition were approached. Of these, 200 willing women were included in this study. Blood samples of participants were analyzed for sero-detection of brucellosis using serum agglutination test (SAT) and commercially available indirect-ELISA kits (sensitivity and specificity>95%) followed by detection of Brucella (B.) species using PCR. Univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to determine the risk factors associated with brucellosis.

Results: Overall seropositivity rate of brucellosis by SAT in study population was 18% whereas ELISA revealed the seroprevalence rate of 12% (n = 24/200). PCR findings showed the presence of B. abortus and B. melitensis in seropositive participants. Analysis revealed that nutritional status (P = 0.037, OR=0.2431), educational status (P = 0.049, OR=0.2168), contact with Brucella-susceptible animals (P = 0.009, OR=10.5142), abortion history (P = 0.012, OR=8.7308), raw milk's consumption (P = 0.002, OR=37.1499) and lack of disease awareness (P < 0.001, OR=0.0340) were significantly associated risk factors with brucellosis. Data regarding clinical manifestations revealed the highest frequency (87.50%) of fatigue with general weakness and the lowest one of night sweats (20.83%) in seropositive women.

Conclusions: Brucellosis is prevalent in febrile pregnant women of study area. It is suggested to devise disease control/prevention measures which may include but not limited to enhancing awareness about disease-dynamics, improving disease diagnostic facilities and immunization of susceptible animals from where disease originate.

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探讨在巴基斯坦Vehari和Lodhran地区不同医疗机构出现发热性疾病的孕妇布鲁氏菌病的状况。

背景：布鲁氏菌病是一种重要的人畜共患疾病，可导致孕妇死产和流产。由于发热等非特异性症状（一种非常常见的疾病症状），该病仍未得到诊断。因此，本研究旨在确定在巴基斯坦旁遮普南部Vehari和Lodhran地区医疗机构出现发热状况的孕妇中布鲁氏菌病的血清患病率和风险决定因素。方法：对250例发热孕妇进行横断面研究。其中，200名女性自愿参与了这项研究。使用血清凝集试验（SAT）和市售间接elisa试剂盒（灵敏度和特异性均为95%）对参与者的血液样本进行分析，以检测布鲁氏菌(b)种，然后使用PCR检测布鲁氏菌(b)种。采用单因素和多因素分析确定与布鲁氏菌病相关的危险因素。结果：在研究人群中，SAT检测布鲁氏菌病的总血清阳性率为18%，而ELISA检测的血清阳性率为12% （n = 24/200）。PCR结果显示，血清阳性参与者中存在abortus和melitensis。分析研究区孕妇的营养状况（P = 0.037， OR=0.2431）、文化程度（P = 0.049， OR=0.2168）、接触布鲁氏菌易感动物（P = 0.009， OR=10.5142）、流产史（P = 0.012， OR=8.7308）、原料奶食用情况（P = 0.002， OR=37.1499）和疾病意识(P)。建议制定疾病控制/预防措施，包括但不限于提高对疾病动力学的认识，改进疾病诊断设施和对疾病来源的易感动物进行免疫接种。

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来源期刊

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases PARASITOLOGY-TROPICAL MEDICINE

自引率

10.50%

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723

期刊介绍： PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases publishes research devoted to the pathology, epidemiology, prevention, treatment and control of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), as well as relevant public policy. The NTDs are defined as a group of poverty-promoting chronic infectious diseases, which primarily occur in rural areas and poor urban areas of low-income and middle-income countries. Their impact on child health and development, pregnancy, and worker productivity, as well as their stigmatizing features limit economic stability. All aspects of these diseases are considered, including: Pathogenesis Clinical features Pharmacology and treatment Diagnosis Epidemiology Vector biology Vaccinology and prevention Demographic, ecological and social determinants Public health and policy aspects (including cost-effectiveness analyses).