Spatiotemporal analysis of brucellosis incidence in Iran from 2011 to 2014 using GIS

•During the years of study, 68,493 cases of brucellosis were reported.•The average incidence rate of brucellosis during this period was 38.67/100,000.•The highest incidence rate of brucellosis in 2011 was observed in Koohrang County, with 317/100,000.•Hot-spot analysis showed the incidence rates of the disease were highest around the mountainous areas of Iran. To investigate the distribution and trends associated with brucellosis incidence rates in Iran from 2011 to 2014. The reported incidence rates of brucellosis for the years 2011–2014 were collected and entered into GIS 10.1. The Cochran–Armitage test for linear trends, choropleth maps, hot-spot analysis, and high–low clustering analysis were used to investigate patterns of the disease over the study period and by season, and to identify high-risk areas and any clustering of the disease. The significance level was set at p