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Abstract

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-negative, intracellular bacterium Brucella. Although it is endemic in Pakistan, comprehensive data on its prevalence, risk factors, and diagnostic accuracy remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to assess these parameters in local communities of District Dir Upper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 345 individuals suspected of brucellosis were investigated. Blood samples and structured questionnaires were collected to determine prevalence and identify associated risk factors. Additionally, 50 culture-confirmed positive cases and 50 negative controls were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Serum Plate Agglutination Test (SPAT). The overall brucellosis prevalence was 17.1 % (59/345). Females had a slightly higher prevalence (17.58 %) than males (16.56 %), with the highest prevalence in individuals aged ≤ 20 years (32.5 %). Risk factors significantly associated with brucellosis included animal contact (p = 0.0075) and raw milk consumption (p < 0.001). ELISA demonstrated a sensitivity of 94.0 % and specificity of 98.0 %, while SPAT showed 92.0 % and 96.0 %, respectively. Brucellosis remains a public health concern in the region, with strong associations identified between infection and exposure to animals and unpasteurized dairy products. ELISA appears to be a marginally more accurate diagnostic tool compared to SPAT. Larger-scale studies are warranted to further validate these findings and promote routine diagnostic implementation.

Article History

Received: Jul 29, 2025; Accepted: Sep 09, 2025; Published: Sep 30, 2025

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