Objectives: This study aimed to identify occupational risk factors for brucellosis among small scale goat farmers in Thailand.
Methods: To better understand farmers' knowledge, attitudes and practices associated with brucellosis we interviewed 51 farmers and tested 314 goats for Brucella melitensis.
Results: All serological samples tested negative for Brucella infection. Based on previous research and estimates provided from the Thai national brucellosis surveillance system, zero seropositivity was less than expected. Findings from interviews with farmers demonstrate that most respondents were relatively new to goat farming with just over half (53%) reporting owning goats for five or fewer years. The majority of respondents demonstrated important gaps in knowledge on disease transmission in animals and knowledge of human brucellosis was particularly limited with just over half (54%) reporting that humans could become infected. Participants had a very low perceived risk of infection with the majority (91.7%) reporting that they or a member of their household were not at risk of the disease.
Conclusion: Overall findings from this study support that brucellosis poses an occupational risk to goat farmers with specific areas of concern including weak awareness of disease transmission to humans and lack of knowledge on specific safe farm practices such as quarantine practices. Findings from this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of brucellosis in Thailand by identifying specific occupational risk factors and describing areas where farmer education and training should be strengthened.
Keywords: Brucellosis; Thailand; goat farming; occupational zoonosis.