Human brucellosis in France in the 21st century: Results from national surveillance 2004-2013

Med Mal Infect. 2016 Dec;46(8):411-418. doi: 10.1016/j.medmal.2016.08.007. Epub 2016 Oct 4.

Abstract

Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonotic disease mainly transmitted to humans by ruminants. In France, brucellosis has disappeared from ruminants herds. Human brucellosis surveillance is performed through mandatory notification and the national reference center.

Methods: We report the results of human brucellosis surveillance from 2004 to 2013 with regards to epidemiological, clinical and microbiological data.

Results: A total of 250 cases were notified, making an annual incidence of 0.3 cases per million inhabitants. Brucella melitensis biovar 3 was the most frequently identified bacterium (79% of isolated strains). In total, 213 (85%) cases had been contaminated abroad in endemic countries. In 2012, an episode of re-emergence of brucellosis in cattle occurred in Haute-Savoie, in the French Alps, and was responsible for 2 human cases.

Conclusion: Brucellosis has become a disease of travelers in France. However, maintaining a stringent epidemiological surveillance is necessary to be able to early detect any local re-emergence in humans or animals. The multidisciplinary surveillance was implemented in France years ago and is a successful example of the One Health Concept.

Keywords: Brucella; Epidemiology; France; Humain; Human; One Health; Zoonose; Zoonosis; Épidémiologie.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Animal Husbandry
  • Animals
  • Brucella melitensis / isolation & purification
  • Brucella suis / isolation & purification
  • Brucellosis / epidemiology*
  • Brucellosis / microbiology
  • Brucellosis / transmission
  • Brucellosis, Bovine / epidemiology
  • Cattle
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Dairy Products / microbiology
  • Disease Notification
  • Female
  • Food Microbiology
  • France / epidemiology
  • Goats / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Diseases / epidemiology
  • Population Surveillance
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Sheep / microbiology
  • Travel-Related Illness
  • Young Adult