Epidemiological Characteristics and Trend in the Incidence of Human Brucellosis in Iran from ۲۰۰۹ to ۲۰۱۷

Background: The development of preventive measures and promotion of healthcare deliverysystems for disease management is dependent on detecting the incidence rates of the diseasesand important risk factors. The current study aimed to determine some epidemiological indices andtrends of the human brucellosis incidence in Iran between ۲۰۰۹ and ۲۰۱۷.Study design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.Methods: In the current study, online data were gathered from all cases of brucellosis who werepotentially or definitely diagnosed and registered in medical centers, hospitals, laboratories, andprivate clinics in all districts of Iran. Epidemiologic questionnaires were used to collect data ondemographic and background characteristics, risk factors, high-risk behaviors, and lab test results,respectively, based on the national brucellosis control plan.Results: A total of ۱۳۸,۴۴۸ cases of brucellosis have been studied in Iran from ۲۰۰۹ to ۲۰۱۷. Thehighest (۲۵.۸۹) and the lowest (۱۲.۰۷) incidence rates were observed in ۲۰۱۴ and ۲۰۰۹,respectively. In this nine-year study, the highest incidences were reported in the Hamadan,Lorestan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshah provinces. The cumulative percentages of the disease wereestimated for different variables at the following rates: by gender: ۵۷.۹% for males; by age groups:۳۶.۲% and ۱۶.۷% for the ۲۵-۴۴ and۱۶-۲۴ years age groups, respectively; by occupation: ۳۳.۲% forhousewives; and by residential area: ۷۵.۷% for rural residents.Conclusions: Based on the obtained results, although the incidence of human brucellosis in Iranhas declined since ۲۰۱۵, the number of cases has remained high.