Is Brucellosis an emerging zoonotic infection in District Nowshera Pakistan? [A novel investigation involving descriptive analysis of laboratory reports (2019-2021)]

Muhammad Asim Khan Khattak, Shahid Nawaz, Aiman Fatima, Anayat Ur Rahman, Tauseef Ahmad, Shahbaz Ahmad

Abstract

A novel cross-sectional study was planned to determine the significant frequency, risk factors and clinical parameters of Brucellosis in people living in Nowshera, Pakistan from March 2019 to March 2021. A non-probability convenient sampling was performed targeting 617 individuals who were previously diagnosed with consistent fever and cough, abortion and infertility, musculoskeletal pain, headache and depression, and elevated serum Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), elevated C-reactive Protein (CRP), and elevated Erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR). A closed-end questionnaire was filled out to gather information regarding different socio- demographics, assumed potential risk factors and clinical parameters of the participants. The serum samples of all participants were tested for IgG ELISA using (NovaLisa, GmbH, Germany). Descriptive statistics and statistical significance (null hypothesis) were analyzed via SPSS. 21. The entire frequency of human brucellosis found in our study was 14.1%. The highly significant sociodemographic factors were gender (P=0.00001), residency (P=0.040), and financial status (P=0.007), whereas the significant risk factors were animal exposure (P=0.002) and Brucella awareness (P=0.003). While the highly significant clinical complications were abortion and infertility (P=0.00004), elevated LDH (P=0.0005), elevated CRP (P=0.00003) and ESR (P=0.0002). The present seroprevalence of brucellosis in Nowshera is an alarming and serious public health concern. It is highly recommended to publicly provide a massive hygienic awareness and diagnostic services to explore the updates regarding the epidemiology of Brucellosis in the considered area for reasonable eradication