Brucella Antibody Levels in Preschool Children in the North East of Iran

Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of humans and animals that has affected worldwide. Iran is one of the endemic areas infected with brucellosis. Early diagnosis of this disease may protect the affected children from disabilities and mortalities. This study aimed to evaluate the Brucella antibody levels in preschool children of the Shahroud city in Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated ۸۵۰ participants, in particular, school children from the Shahroud city. General information was collected by interviewing the children’s parents. Moreover, a ۵ ml of blood sample was collected from all the children. The samples were studies using standard tube agglutination test (Wright) and ۲-Mercaptoethanol. Thereafter, IgG and IgM levels were determined by the ELISA method.Results: A total of ۸۵۰ children were enrolled, of which ۵۱.۲% were boys and ۴۸.۸% were girls, with a mean age of ۵.۱۷±۱.۵۵ years. Of the all children evaluated, ۸۳۹ (۹۷.۵%) children had a titer <۱/۸۰ and ۲۱ children (۲.۵%) had a titer ≥۱/۸۰. A significant difference was observed between the antibody titers in terms of gender (P=۰.۰۱۲), whereas no significant association was found among antibody titers with other variables such as age, history of nonpasteurized foods, exposure to animals, history of brucellosis disease, and parental occupation.Conclusions: The antibody titer for suspected brucellosis in preschool children of Shahroud was very low. According to the results of our study, in particular, in the endemic areas, a Wright’s titer of ۱/۸۰ in suspected cases for brucellosis can be considered as a diagnostic titer.Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of humans and animals that has affected worldwide. Iran is one of the endemic areas infected with brucellosis. Early diagnosis of this disease may protect the affected children from disabilities and mortalities. This study aimed to evaluate the Brucella antibody levels in preschool children of the Shahroud city in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated ۸۵۰ participants, in particular, school children from the Shahroud city. General information was collected by interviewing the children’s parents. Moreover, a ۵ ml of blood sample was collected from all the children. The samples were studies using standard tube agglutination test (Wright) and ۲-Mercaptoethanol. Thereafter, IgG and IgM levels were determined by the ELISA method. Results: A total of ۸۵۰ children were enrolled, of which ۵۱.۲% were boys and ۴۸.۸% were girls, with a mean age of ۵.۱۷±۱.۵۵ years. Of the all children evaluated, ۸۳۹ (۹۷.۵%) children had a titer <۱/۸۰ and ۲۱ children (۲.۵%) had a titer ≥۱/۸۰. A significant difference was observed between the antibody titers in terms of gender (P=۰.۰۱۲), whereas no significant association was found among antibody titers with other variables such as age, history of nonpasteurized foods, exposure to animals, history of brucellosis disease, and parental occupation. Conclusions: The antibody titer for suspected brucellosis in preschool children of Shahroud was very low. According to the results of our study, in particular, in the endemic areas, a Wright’s titer of ۱/۸۰ in suspected cases for brucellosis can be considered as a diagnostic titer.