Investigation of Brucellosis Seropositivity in Hakkari Province over One Year: A Multicenter Cross-sectional Study.

Objectives: Brucellosis is a prevalent zoonotic disease in developing countries, as well as Türkiye. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of brucellosis in the Hakkari province of Türkiye over a period of 1 year.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using serum samples from 12,742 patients in Hakkari's three main hospitals from January to December 2023. Demographic data, results of serological tests, admission time and clinics were collected and recorded. To identify seropositivity for brucellosis, the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and Standard Tube Agglutination (STA) tests were performed.

Results: Of the samples, 6.6% tested positive for RBT, and 3.2% were confirmed to be seropositive for brucellosis with an STA titer of ≥1/320. The highest prevalence of brucellosis seropositivity was observed in August, with a greater prevalence among women, particularly those aged 25-44. Most patients were admitted to internal medicine clinics, and the highest seroprevalence was observed in infectious disease clinics. Seroprevalence was statistically significant across age, gender, and clinics (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The present study showed that the seroprevalence of brucellosis in Hakkari province was 3.2% in 2023. Brucellosis is still endemic in our province and public health measures are needed to reduce brucellosis transmission. We believe that the results of this study will provide data for epidemiological studies in the region.