Investigating Geographical Factors Affecting the Prevalence of Brucellosis in the Lorestan Province, Iran

Document Type : Original Article (s)

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Physiography, School of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Medical Geography, School of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Background: Brucellosis is a common chronic infectious disease among humans and animals (zoonoses) and one of the major health problems in many parts of the world, which in recent years has become epidemic in some parts of the world. The disease is a major public health problem in areas where the animal is the source of income and employment. So, identifying the factors influence the prevalence of the disease plays an important role in managing it.Methods: In this research, the relation of climate (temperature and precipitation) and geographical (height from sea level) factors with the prevalence of Brucellosis in Lorestan province, Iran, was studied. To identify climatic variables affecting the incidence of brucellosis, Arc GIS software for zoning districts-based variables were used.Findings: In Aligoodarz city, as a high-risk area on the spatial distribution map, the 3-month mean temperature was less than 3.3ᵒC and the height from sea level was more than 1900 meters. The correlation of the disease prevalence and the cold weather and the height from sea level was proved; but the average annual rainfall was not significantly correlated with the prevalence of brucellosis in various cities of the province.Conclusion: The results of this study showed the relationship the height from sea level and the cold weather with an increased incidence of brucellosis in Lorestan province.

Keywords


  1. Zoghi A. Theoretical overview on human brucellosis. Proceedings of the 2nd National Iranian Congress on Brucellosis; 2007 May 19-21; Tehran, Iran; p. 47-74.
  2. Young EJ. Brucella species. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, editors. Mandel, Douglas and Bennett principles and practice of infectious disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone; 2005. p. 2669-74.
  3. Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Communicable Diseases Unit. Annual report of communicable disease control (CDC). Tehran, Iran: Ministry of Health and Medical Education; 2004.
  4. Tabatabaei SM, Zahraei M, Ahmadnai H, Ghotbi M, Rahimi F. Principles of disease prevention and Surveillance.2nd ed. Tehran, Iran: Disease Management Center Publication; 2007. p. 173.
  5. Zeynali M, Shirzadi M. Effective factors in the control and prevention of brucellosis in the past two decades. Proceedings of the 2nd National Iranian Congress on Brucellosis; 2007 May 19-21; Tehran, Iran; p. 106-8.
  6. Kamal SH, Sadat Hashemi SM, Nasaji M, Moshiri E, Shahriyari R, Azizi A. Frequency of reported cases of Brucellosis to province ?health center from public and private sectors in Semnan 2006-2007?. Koomesh 2009; 10(2): 125-29. [In Persian].
  7. Haddadi A, Rasoulinejad M, Afhami SH, Mohraz M. Epidemilogical, clinical, para clinical aspects of Brucellosis in Imam Khomeini and Sina Hospital of Tehran (1998–2005). Behbood J 2006: 10 (3): 242-51. [In Persian].
  8. Momen Heravi M, Afzali H. Clinical minifestations of brucellosis in hospitalized patients in Beheshti Hospital of Kashan 1996-2003. Feyz 2007: 11(1); 67-72. [In Persian].
  9. Moradi Gh, Kanani SH, Majidpour MS, Ghaderi A. Epidemiological status survey of 3880 case of brucellosis in Kurdistan. Iran J Infect Dis Trop Med 2006; 11(33): 27-33.
  10. Hosseini SS, Kasiri H, Lotfi M, AmaniH. An epidemiological survey of brucellosis in Azna City in 2008-2009. Proceedings of the 4th National Iranian Congress of Brucellosis; 2011 Dec 13-15; Tehran, Iran.
  11. Soleimani A, Alizadeh S, Seaif Farshad M, Kusha A, Mohamdzadeh M, Haghiri L, et al. Descriptive epidemiology of human brucellosis in east Azerbaijan, 2001-2009. Med J Tabriz Univ Med Sci 2012; 34(1): 63-9. [In Persian].
  12. Abela B. Epidemiology and control of brucellosis in ruminants from 1986 to 1996 in Malta. Rev Sci Tech 1999; 18(3): 648-59.
  13. Iran Meteorological Organization, Lorestan Meteorological Office. Long term Statistics [Online]. [cited] 2010; Available from: URL: http://www.lorestanmet.ir/LongTermStatistics.a
  14. spx. [In Persian].
  15. Data center of Lorestan University of Medical Sciences. Statistical yearbook of medical sciences (2008-2012). Khorramabad, Iran: Lorestan University of Medical Sciences; 2012. [In Persian].
  16. Statistical Centre of Iran. Calendar of Lorestan
  17. Province [Online]. [cited 2010]; Available from: URL:http://www.amar.org.ir/Default.aspx?tabid=1693. [In Persian].
  18. Zeinali M, Shirzad M, Haj Rasoliha H, Sharifian J. A guide to combat brucellosis (Malta fever). Tehran, Iran: Ministry of Health and Medical Education; 2010. [In Persain].