Seroprevalence Of Brusellosis In Kirsehir Province And Significance Of Serological And Biochemical Tests In The Diagnosis Of Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease with the major symptoms such as fever, joint and muscle pain generally caused by consumption of meat and milk of infected animals. Serological test methods such as Rose Bengal plate agglutination (RBPA) and standart tube agglutination test, are used in the diagnosis of brucellosis because of the lack of availability of blood culture in several laboratories, the low growth rate and ease to be effected by antimicrobials of the bacteria. Variations in biochemical parameters could be seen in the course of infection. In this study, seroprevalence of brucellosis in our region was determined by Rose Bengal and standart tube agglutination tests, and variations in biochemical parameters of the sera defined as positive for brucellosis were also evaluated. Rose Bengal test was found to be positive for 144 out of 4041 patient sera send to Microbiology Laboratory with the initial diagnosis of brucellosis. Among these sera, agglutination titer of 1/160 and over was detected in 121 samples. Seroprevalence for brucellosis was 3.56% for our study group. Among patient sera found to be positive in STA, 98 (81%) showed increase in C-reaktif protein (CRP) level, 66 (54.5%) in erytrocyte sedimantation rate (ESR), 29(24%) in alanin aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartat aminotransferase (AST). Additionally, leucocytosis was seen in 11 (9.1%), leucopenia in 12 (9.9%), anemia in 46 (36%) and thrombocytopenia in 53 (43.8%) patient sera. As STA titer increased CRP level had a paralel rise, but the platelet and leukocyte number decreased. In conclusion, especially serum CRP level could be a useful biochemical test parameter for the diagnosis and follow-up of brucellosis.