TY - GEN T1 - Changing epidemiology of human brucellosis, Germany, 1962-2005. AU - Dahouk, Sascha Al AU - Neubauer, Heinrich AU - Hensel, Andreas AU - Schöneberg, Irene AU - Nöckler, Karsten AU - Alpers, Katharina AU - Merzenich, Hiltrud AU - Stark, Klaus AU - Jansen, Andreas AB - Trends in the epidemiology of human brucellosis in Germany were investigated by analyzing national surveillance data (1962-2005) complemented by a questionnaire-based survey (1995-2000). After a steady decrease in brucellosis incidence from 1962 to the 1980s, a persistent number of cases has been reported in recent years, with the highest incidence in Turkish immigrants (0.3/100,000 Turks vs. 0.01/100,000 in the German population; incidence rate ratio 29). Among cases with reported exposure risks, 59% were related to the consumption of unpasteurized cheese from brucellosis-endemic countries. The mean diagnostic delay was 2.5 months. Case fatality rates increased from 0.4% (1978-1981) to a maximum of 6.5% (1998-2001). The epidemiology of brucellosis in Germany has evolved from an endemic occupational disease among the German population into a travel-associated foodborne zoonosis, primarily affecting Turkish immigrants. Prolonged diagnostic delays and high case fatality call for targeted public health measures. KW - Adolescent KW - Preschool KW - Newborn KW - Humans KW - Female KW - Germany/epidemiology KW - Male KW - Middle Aged KW - Incidence KW - Child KW - Adult KW - Aged KW - Infant KW - Time Factors KW - Brucellosis/epidemiology KW - 610 Medizin PY - 2007 LA - eng PB - Robert Koch-Institut, Infektionsepidemiologie VL - 13 IS - 12 DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.25646/458 ER -