Evaluation of the Knowledge Level of Individuals Living in Denizli About Brucellosis

Introduction: Brucellosis is a widespread zoonotic disease with significant economic and public health importance worldwide. Brucellosis is endemic in Turkiye and causes significant morbidity. Our study aimed to assess the adequacy of people's knowledge about brucellosis in Denizli and to raise awareness. Materials and Methods: This field study was carried out in the city center and districts of Denizli between 16.04.2022 and 08.05.2022, involving face-to-face interviews with 300 participants who completed a 15-question questionnaire. Results: 52.3% of the participants were male. The mean age was 43.11 +/- 16.59 (age range 18-82, median 43.0) years. Of the participants, 65 (21.7%) were housewives and 191 (63.7%) stated that they had heard of brucellosis before. Ten (3.3%) people had brucellosis before. The most widely recognized alternative name for brucellosis was cheese disease (55%). Mostly those living in towns (84.8%) stated that they had heard of brucellosis before. It was known that brucellosis was transmitted to humans most frequently (85.5%) through the consumption of raw milk and dairy products, the most common symptom of brucellosis in humans was muscle and joint pain (52.4%), and the most common symptom in animals (42.3%) was abortion. 13.3% of the participants knew about the Brucella vaccine for humans, while 64.9% knew about the Brucella vaccine for animals. Conclusion: It was observed that the less common transmission routes of brucellosis and the signs of brucellosis in animals are not well understood. Enhancing public knowledge through educational programs about brucellosis is essential. In conclusion, we believe that increasing social awareness is crucial for reducing the prevalence of brucellosis.