Etude épidémiologique de la brucellose chez les ruminants et l’homme dans les deux régions Sétif et Alger

Abstract

Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella, and it is considered one of the main zoonotic diseases, that is, diseases transmitted between animals and humans. This disease is widely spread in pastoral areas, especially in semi-arid climates, where it is easily transmitted among animals and then to humans. Cases of brucellosis are often recorded in small ruminants (sheep and goats) rather than cattle, due to environmental conditions and continuous livestock rearing and transhumance practices. During the period from 2020 to 2025, high infection rates of brucellosis were documented in the wilayas of Sétif and Algiers. In the wilaya of Sétif, the highest rate was observed in sheep at 26.86%, followed by goats at 22.49%, and then cattle at 6.34%. In the wilaya of Algiers, the infection rate for cattle was 9.79%, for sheep 16.75%, and the highest rate was observed in goats at 20.76%. It was noted that the spring and summer seasons recorded the highest rates of disease spread compared to autumn and winter. Data also showed that females are more exposed to infection than males, due to physiological factors related to pregnancy and birth, which makes them more vulnerable to Brucella infection. Concerning humans, it was found that the most affected age group in the wilaya of Sétif is 20 to 44 years old, while in the wilaya of Algiers it ranges from 45 to 65 years old. As part of this work, we conducted blood tests to detect brucellosis using appropriate serological tests. Milk samples were also analyzed to assess their suitability for human consumption and to check for possible contamination by Brucella bacteria, given the health risk associated with the transmission of the infection to humans through animal-origin products.