EVALUATION OF BRUCELLOSIS SURVEILLANCE IN NORTH MACEDONIA USING A ONE HEALTH APPROACH

SKENDERI, Naim and VELIKJ STEFANOVSKA, V. and HISENI, A. and ELEZI, N. (2026) EVALUATION OF BRUCELLOSIS SURVEILLANCE IN NORTH MACEDONIA USING A ONE HEALTH APPROACH. In: INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “FROM RESEARCH TO APPLICATION”, 20 May, 2026.

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Abstract

Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease that continues to represent a public health and socio-economic concern in North Macedonia despite a substantial decline in incidence over recent decades. This study aimed to evaluate the human brucellosis surveillance system in North Macedonia and assess its performance according to standard surveillance attributes. The evaluation was conducted through a review of the National Program for Prevention and Control of Brucellosis, national surveillance reports, legislation, and epidemiological data from 1980 to 2023. Surveillance system attributes assessed included data quality, sensitivity, predictive value positive, representativeness, timeliness, stability, flexibility, and usefulness. The surveillance system is based on mandatory passive reporting with laboratory confirmation and coordination between the Institute of Public Health and the Food and Veterinary Agency under a One Health approach. Human brucellosis incidence declined markedly following implementation of livestock vaccination programs, reaching only six reported human cases in 2023. The system demonstrated strengths including national coverage, legal support, standardized case definitions, and integration with veterinary surveillance. However, important limitations were identified, including reliance on paper-based reporting, lack of integrated electronic databases, incomplete reporting indicators, and possible under-reporting in rural areas. Limited epidemiological staffing in some regional centers for public health may also affect surveillance performance. The surveillance system remains effective and useful for monitoring and control of brucellosis, but modernization is needed to sustain elimination efforts. Strengthening electronic integration, improving timeliness and completeness of reporting, maintaining livestock vaccination, and increasing epidemiological capacity are essential to ensure continued control and prevention of brucellosis in North Macedonia.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Subjects: R Medicine > R Medicine (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences > School of Medicine
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email zshi@unite.edu.mk
Date Deposited: 23 Sep 2026 09:05
Last Modified: 23 Sep 2026 09:05
URI: http://eprints.unite.edu.mk/id/eprint/2461

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