Seroprevalence of Brucellosis, Leptospirosis, and Q Fever among Butchers and Slaughterhouse Workers in South-Eastern Iran

PLoS One. 2016 Jan 5;11(1):e0144953. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144953. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Zoonotic diseases can be occupational hazards to people who work in close contact with animals or their carcasses. In this cross-sectional study, 190 sera were collected from butchers and slaughterhouse workers in different regions of the Sistan va Baluchestan province, in Iran in 2011. A questionnaire was filled for each participant to document personal and behavioural information. The sera were tested for detection of specific IgG antibodies against brucellosis, leptospirosis, and Q fever (phase I and II) using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The seroprevalence of brucellosis was 7.9%, leptospirosis 23.4%, and phase I and II of Q fever were 18.1% and 14.4%, respectively. The seroprevalence of Q fever and leptospirosis, but not brucellosis, varied among regions within the province (p = 0.01). Additionally, a significant relationship was found between seropositivity of Q fever and camel slaughtering (p = 0.04). Reduced seropositivity rate of brucellosis was associated with use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (p = 0.004). This study shows that brucellosis, leptospirosis and Q fever occur among butchers and slaughterhouse workers in this area.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abattoirs*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Brucellosis / blood*
  • Brucellosis / epidemiology
  • Brucellosis / microbiology
  • Cattle
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Geography
  • Goats
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Iran / epidemiology
  • Leptospirosis / blood*
  • Leptospirosis / epidemiology
  • Leptospirosis / microbiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Diseases / blood*
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology
  • Q Fever / blood*
  • Q Fever / epidemiology
  • Q Fever / microbiology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Sheep
  • Zoonoses / blood*
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / microbiology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin G

Grants and funding

The authors appreciate the financial support of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of the Iranian Ministry of Health; this work was approved by the Pasteur Institute of Iran (Session No.508). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.