Serum Levels of Interferon Gamma in Patients with Brucellosis in a Saudi Hospital.
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Date
2014-03
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Abstract
Background: Brucellosis is a major zoonotic disease that is endemic in Saudi Arabia and it
remains a major health problem that has not been eradicated in the country yet.
Place and Duration of Study: This retrospective study was conducted in a Saudi Hospital
at Al Madinah city during the period of 1 November, 2010 to 31 October, 2011.
Methodology: All sera of patients suspected to have brucellosis (n= 65) and 18 healthy
subjects were tested for brucella antibody using slide latex agglutination (SAT) and ELISA.
Quantitation of IFN-ɣ was also done using ELISA.
Results: Brucellosis was detected in all age groups but the incidence was higher and
reached 33.3% in age group (40- <50) years with average of 43.9±2.53 years. Male to
female ratio in infected patients was 2:1 by using SAT. The incidence of seropositive cases
was high (80.1%) in the three months (April, May and June), with the highest peak in May (46.7%). Drinking raw milk was the most encountered risk factor with a prevalence of 66.1%
followed by consumption of milk products (11.9%). The most prevalent species among the
examined cases was B. melitensis (93.3%). Among the studied cases, 60 cases (92.3%)
were serologically positive for brucellosis by SAT. Among the 60 cases yielding significant
titers against brucella, 14 sera (23.3%) had agglutinin levels of 1:80, 34 sera (56.7%) had
titers of 1:160 and 12 sera (20%) had titers of 1:320. By estimating IgM and IgG levels in
the sera of examined cases using ELISA, 52 cases (80%) had brucellaIgM while 42 cases
(64.6%) had brucella IgG. Sensitivities of SAT, IgM ELISA and IgG ELISA were 91.5%,
88.1% and 71.2%, respectively compared with combined ELISA. Mean IFN-ɣ levels ± SD in
the subacute phase was 136.7±70.07pg/ml, 120.2±54.25pg/ml in the acute phase, and
121.3±51.09 pg/ml in the chronic phase of brucellosis.
Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of ELISA to diagnose human brucellosis was
higher when combined ELISA (IgM/IgG or both) was used. Mean IFN-ɣ levels were lower,
but not significantly, in the chronic phase of the disease than in the sub acute phase and
healthy subjects.
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Keywords
Human brucellosis, Saudi B, melitensis, B. abortus, Slide agglutination test, ELISA, IFN-ɣ
Citation
Abo-Shadi Maha A, Al-Harbi Alhanouf Ibrahim H, Ballal Elmahi M. Serum Levels of Interferon Gamma in Patients with Brucellosis in a Saudi Hospital. British Microbiology Research Journal. 2014 Mar; 4(3): 293-305.