Sero-prevalence of human brucellosis malaria-co-infection and risk factors among febrile patients visited Derayitu Health center and KelewaniPrimary Hospital at Awra and Gulina district, Afar Region, Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019-10
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease usually acquired through direct contact
with the infected animals and consumption of contaminated milk and meat products.
In humans Brucellosis presents similar signs with other febrile diseases like Malaria,
typhoid and other febrile conditions.
Objective: In this study weaimed to determine Sero-prevalence of human brucellosis
malaria co-infection and risk factors among febrile patients visited Derayitu Health
center and Kelewani Primary Hospital at Awra and Gulina district, Afar Region, Ethiopia
Methods: A cross Sectional study was conducted among febrile patients visiting
Derayitu Health center and Kelewani Primary Hospital at Awra & Gulina District of Afar
region, Ethiopia from February to May 2019. After consent/assent obtained,
demographic and clinical data were collected using structured questionnaire, 5ml
venous blood was collected with plain vacutainer tubs. Serum was separated and
stored in refrigerator after thick and thin blood films were prepared. Rose Bengal plate
Test (RBPT) was performed and those positive sera were confirmed using ELISA.
Giemsa stained thick and thin blood films, were made to look for the presence of
hemo-parasites. Data were entered in Epi Data3.1 and exported to Stata 14 to analyze
prevalence and potential risk factors at 95% confidence interval < 0.05 was considered
as statistically significant
Results: A total 444 febrile individuals (females constituting of 61.1%), age ranged
from 2 to 83 years (mean = 26.1, SD = ±11.8) were participated in this study. Among all
(444) individuals tested, 31.5 % (140/444) were found reactive by Rose Bengal plate
Test and only half of the reactive (70/140) were found reactive again by Enzyme
Linked Immuno sorbent assay. The sero-prevalence of Brucellainfection based on the
two tests was 15.8 % (70/444). Being males (23.3%, X2= 13.05; p <0.001), illiterate
(20.4%, X2= 6.21; p = 0.045) and rural residents (17.6%; X2 = 3.93; p = 0.047) were highly
infected by Brucella infection than their respective comparison. Multivariate logistic
regression model analysis revealed that drinking of raw milk (AOR=16.96, 95%CI:
2.27-126.69, p=0.006) and touching aborted fetus/discharges without protection
iv
(AOR=2.13, 95%CI: 1.08-4.20, p = 0.029) were found significantly associated with
having brucellosis where as being females (AOR = 0.42, 95 % CI: 0.44 - 0.74, P = 0.003)
were found associated with not having brucellosis. Of all (444) individuals, 19 (4.3%)
were found positive for malaria infection (only for P. falciparum).
Conclusion: Findings in this study clearly show that the sero-prevalence of human
brucellosis among febrile patients is high (15.8%). The study also identified that
consuming raw milk and touching of aborted material/fetus were the risk factors for
brucellosis. Intervention focusing on awareness about the zoonotic nature of
brucellosis and the role of raw milk in the transmission of the diseases is important to
control the diseases.
Description
This is to certify that the thesis prepared by Sintayehu Mehari entitled
‘SERO-PREVALENCE OF HUMAN BRUCELLOSIS MALARIA-CO-INFECTION AND RISK
FACTORS AMONG FEBRILE PATIENTS VISITED DERAYITU HEALTH CENTER AND
KELEWANI PRIMARY HOSPITAL AT AWRA AND GULINA DISTRICT, AFAR REGION,
ETHIOPIA’ and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master of
Science degree in Clinical Laboratory Sciences (Diagnostic and Public Health
Microbiology) complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted
standards with respect to originality and quality.
Keywords
Brucellosis, malaria, Sero-prevalence, Pastoralists, Afar Ethiopia,