Investigation of Brucellosis Information and Applications of Animal Breeders: The Case of Erdemli

Lack of information about brucellosis can affect patient’s health-seeking behaviors and thuscause constant infectation in semi-urban communities. This study aimed to determine the knowledge levelof brucellosis of dairy cattle breeders and evaluate the information about brucellosis in 83 people living in21 different villages and neighborhoods of Erdemli district. In the study, in this cross-sectional study, face to face interviews and data were collected using a 30 question questionnaire to investigate the level of knowledge about individuals aboutbrucellosis. Data were evulated by using SPSS 21.0 statistic program.While 72.3% the individuals do not know that brucellosis causes disease in humans, 56.6% do notknow that it causes disease in animals. Participants said that 56.6% had heard of the about brucellosis beforeand those who heard said that they had heard from 13.3% of their relatives or neighbors. A majority of theparticipants (56.6 %) had heard about Brucella, 72.3% of individuals do not know that brucellosis causesdisease in humans and 56.6% of the participants do not know that Brucella is an animal disease. It wasdetermined that 65 (73.8%) of the participants did not make cheese from raw milk, 66 (79.5%) did notconsume cheese fresh, and 74 (89.2%) did not make butter from raw milk cream. The individuals whoparticipated of in the study 32.5% had bovine animals and 67.5% had small ruminants; the rate of abortedanimals is 30.1% in the last year. The total proportion 20.5% was of stillbirths, the rate 51.8% was infertileanimals.In the present study infertility, stillbirth and abortion numbers of individuals who had notheard of brucellosis before were higher than those who had heard and who took the necessary precautions.It is a fact that the herd can threaten all other animals in rapidly spreading infectious diseases such asbrucellosis. Therefore, providing the necessary incentives for the establishment of modern business facilitiesin areas where animal husbandry is intensive, if this is not possible, raising the level of knowledge byproviding various trainings to individuals dealing with dairy cattle breeding will contribute to the nationaleconomy.