Research report: Occupational brucellosis among livestock farmers in Northeastern Thailand: A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices from a One Health perspective

A cross-sectional survey of 385 ruminant farmers in three provinces of lower Northeastern Thailand has found that although most livestock keepers know the basics of brucellosis, only a small fraction consistently apply the preventive practices that protect them from this occupational zoonotic disease. The study, conducted from October 2024 to July 2025 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Buriram, and Surin, scored farmers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices and used logistic regression to identify what actually drives protective behavior at the livestock-human interface.

The knowledge-practice gap was striking. While 65.5 percent of farmers demonstrated satisfactory knowledge of brucellosis, only 20.0 percent reported comprehensive favorable preventive practices spanning both personal and farm-level measures. Engagement was also selective: all farmers avoided consuming raw milk and placental products, yet only 38.7 percent used gloves during high-risk activities, compared with 61.6 percent who wore boots. This pattern suggests that farmers adopt some prevention measures far more readily than others, even when the underlying risks come from the same disease.

The multivariate analysis pointed to structural and informational factors rather than knowledge scores as the strongest predictors of good practice. Farmers whose farms held certification, including Good Farm Management status, had significantly higher odds of favorable practices (adjusted odds ratio 2.60, 95% CI 1.06-6.39), and brucellosis-free certification was associated with an even larger effect (aOR 5.35, 95% CI 1.63-17.54). Simply having heard of the scientific term “brucellosis” was also linked to favorable practices (aOR 2.74, 95% CI 1.00-7.46). Perceived occupational susceptibility and targeted education on transmission routes emerged as additional drivers of practice adoption.

The authors conclude that knowledge alone was insufficient to produce consistent preventive behavior. Instead, they argue, improving occupational safety against brucellosis requires integrated interventions that combine domain-specific training, formal disease alerts, and structural supports such as certification programs. Because brucellosis remains a significant occupational zoonotic disease with implications for animal health, worker safety, and public health in endemic regions, the findings are presented as a basis for targeted One Health strategies in Thailand, where control efforts depend on understanding how farmers actually behave rather than only what they know.

As a cross-sectional survey of farmers managing beef cattle, dairy cattle, buffalo, goats, or sheep in one region of Thailand, the study captures associations at a single point in time and cannot establish causal effects of certification or awareness on behavior. The reported odds ratios describe the surveyed population during the study period. Even so, the central message is clear: closing the gap between knowing about brucellosis and protecting against it may depend less on further awareness campaigns and more on formal certification schemes, explicit teaching about transmission routes, and farmers’ own sense of workplace risk.

Subject of Research: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding occupational brucellosis prevention among ruminant farmers in Northeastern Thailand

Article Title: Occupational brucellosis among livestock farmers in Northeastern Thailand: A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices from a One Health perspective

Article References: Kiatsomphob, S., Suphaphiphat, K., Puyati, B., & Kledmanee, K. (2026). Occupational brucellosis among livestock farmers in Northeastern Thailand: A cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitudes, and practices from a One Health perspective. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 20(10), e0014788. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0014788

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0014788

Keywords: brucellosis, zoonotic disease, livestock farmers, Thailand, One Health, farm certification, knowledge attitudes practices, occupational health, cross-sectional study, ruminants, public health, Occupational