Epidemiology of Brucellosis in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: To provide a comprehensive summary of brucellosis incidence, prevalence, risk associated factors, and impact on the Saudi population. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed database. The articles included in the review were written in English and investigated the epidemiology, etiology, distribution, impact, or burden of brucellosis in the Saudi population. Articles to be included were finalized after a mutual consensus of 2 researchers. Results: Seventeen (n=17) studies were included which were conducted in diverse geographical areas of Saudi Arabia. Of them, 3 studies reported the prevalence of brucellosis among pregnant women and pregnancy outcomes; 3 studies focused on risk associated factors and symptoms and signs of brucellosis among children; 2 studies highlighted the prevalence of brucellosis among workers; 9 studies reported the prevalence/incidence and risk associated factors of brucellosis. Brucellosis incidence and prevalence vary widely among regions. Contact with infected animals and consumption of raw milk and milk products were identified as the main risk associated factors of brucellosis. Abortion and intrauterine fetal deaths rates were significantly higher among pregnant women with brucellosis compared with pregnant women without brucellosis. Conclusion: Brucellosis poses a considerable impact on human and has a higher prevalence in developing countries as compared to developed countries. Our results revealed that brucellosis is a risk factor for adverse reproductive outcomes.