THE ROLE OF ROSE BENGAL TEST IN DETECTING HUMAN BRUCELLOSIS

Abstract

Brucellosis remains a serious public health concern, necessitating effective monitoring. This study evaluated the seroprevalence and identification of Brucella spp. in 300 blood specimens from patients, using phenotypic characterization and the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) for diagnosis. The percentage of positive serological tests was 9.3% (28/300), with a higher infection rate in females (10.0%) than in males (8.7%). The highest ratio was observed among patients aged 31-40 years (13.3%). Bacterial isolation confirmed Brucella species in 7.0% (21/300) of samples. Epidemiological analysis revealed a significantly higher prevalence among rural (10.6%) than urban (7.9%) participants and clear seasonality, with a peak incidence in September (12.0%). This study confirms the endemicity of brucellosis, establishes the RBT as a vital screening tool, and identifies key demographic and seasonal risk factors for guiding public health intervention strategies.