Table 5.
Demographics, exposure history, clinical manifestations, and risk factor analysis of hospitalized febrile patients with brucellosis, compared with non-brucellosis cases, at the Nork Hospital, 2010–2012
| Feature | Brucellosis cases, n (%) | Non-brucellosis cases, n (%) | OR (95 % CI) | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic | ||||
| Age group (years) | 0.449 | |||
| 18–27 | 19 (38) | 245 (45) | – | |
| 28–37 | 10 (20) | 124 (23) | – | |
| 38–47 | 9 (18) | 53 (10) | – | |
| 48–57 | 6 (12) | 64 (12) | – | |
| ≥58 | 6 (12) | 63 (12) | – | |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 41 (84) | 260 (47) | 5.4 (2.5–11.8) | < 0.001 |
| Female | 8 (16) | 276 (50) | Reference | |
| Exposure history | ||||
| Consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk | 37 (76) | 12 (3) | 41.6 (806–201.5) | < 0.001 |
| Exposure to animals | 20 (39) | 8 (1.5) | 45.2 (18.4–110.9) | < 0.001 |
| Engagement in agricultural activity | 20 (41) | 9 (1.6) | 15.0 (4.0–55.7) | < 0.001 |
| Involvement in the slaughter of animals | 11 (22) | 6 (1) | 13.0 (2.8–64.2) | < 0.001 |
| Contact with animal abortus materials | 12 (24) | 0 (0) | N/A | N/A |
| Clinical symptoms | ||||
| Excessive sweating | 45 (90) | 113 (21) | 33.8 (13.1–87.1) | < 0.001 |
| Joint pain | 34 (68) | 31 (6) | 35.6 (17.7–71.4) | < 0.001 |
| Muscle soreness | 17 (34) | 59 (11) | 4.3 (2.2–8.1) | < 0.001 |
Note: Denominators may vary due to missing data. OR odds ratio, CI confidence interval. Out of those who reported having contact with animals, 15 (79 %) had contact with cattle and 4 (21 %) had contact with sheep. Sixty-one percent of the brucellosis patients did not report any contact with animals