Expansion of brucellosis detection in the country of Georgia by screening household members of cases and neighboring community members

Authors

Lia Sanodze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Christian T. Bautista, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Natalia Garuchava, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Svetlana Chubinidze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Ekaterine Tsertsvadze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Mariam Broladze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Nazibrola Chitadze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Ketevan Sidamonidze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Shota Tsanava, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health
Tamar Akhvlediani, US Army Medical Research Directorate - Georgia (USAMRD-G)
Robert G. Rivard, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Rupal Mody, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Matthew J. Hepburn, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases
Philip H. Elzer, LSU Agricultural Center
Mikeljon P. Nikolich, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research
Nino Trapaidze, National Center for Disease Control and Public Health

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-2-2015

Abstract

© 2015 Sanodze et al.; licensee BioMed Central. Background: Brucellosis is considered as endemic zoonotic disease in the country of Georgia. However, the burden of the disease on a household level is not known. Therefore, this study sought to determine the benefits of active surveillance coupled to serological screening for the early detection of brucellosis among close contacts of brucellosis cases. Methods: We used an active surveillance approach to estimate the rate of seropositivity among household family members and neighboring community members of brucellosis index cases. All participants were screened using the serum tube agglutination test (SAT). Blood cultures were performed, obtained isolates were identified by a bacteriological algorithm, and confirmed as Brucella spp. using real-time PCR. Further confirmation of Brucella species was done using the AMOS PCR assay. Results: A total of 141 participants enrolled. Of these, 27 were brucellosis index cases, 86 were household family members, and 28 were neighboring community members. The serological evidence of brucellosis in the household member group was 7% and the rate at the household level was 21%. No screened community members were Brucella seropositive. Majority of brucellosis cases were caused by B. melitensis; only one index case was linked to B. abortus. Conclusion: We found evidence of brucellosis infection among household family members of brucellosis index cases. B. melitensis was the most common species obtained. Findings of this active surveillance study highlight the importance of screening household family members of brucellosis cases and of the use of culture methods to identify Brucella species in the country of Georgia.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

BMC Public Health

Recommended Citation

Sanodze, L., Bautista, C., Garuchava, N., Chubinidze, S., Tsertsvadze, E., Broladze, M., Chitadze, N., Sidamonidze, K., Tsanava, S., Akhvlediani, T., Rivard, R., Mody, R., Hepburn, M., Elzer, P., Nikolich, M., & Trapaidze, N. (2015). Expansion of brucellosis detection in the country of Georgia by screening household members of cases and neighboring community members. BMC Public Health, 15 (1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1761-y