Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of 581 human brucellosis cases in Xinjiang, China.

Background: Epidemiological and clinical analyses of brucellosis are crucial for the development of surveillance and case management strategies. Methods: We analyzed the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 581 human brucellosis cases in Xinjiang. Demographic characteristics of patients with brucellosis and their clinical manifestations were collected and analyzed. Results: Among the 581 brucellosis patients, the men-to-women ratio was 2.8:1.0 (428:153); the age was (44.41 ± 16.25) years, ranging from 1 to 83 years, mainly concentrated in the 35-60 age group, accounting for 70.91% (412 cases); the ethnic distribution was mainly Uyghur, accounting for 50.60%; the occupational distribution was mainly farmers, accounting for 43.20%. A total of 186 patients had a clear history of contact with cattle and sheep breeding. Clinical staging was mainly chronic stage patients, accounting for 55.24% (321 cases), and there were 48 cases with complications, mainly pain and fatigue, accounting for 8.26%. The most common laboratory examination characteristics were increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and increased C-reactive protein level, accounting for 29.09% and 23.06%, respectively, and the blood culture detection rate was low (4.48 %). Conclusion: Patients with brucellosis in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region predominantly comprised middle-aged and young men primarily involved in farming. The principal clinical symptoms include pain and fever; however, the positivity rate of