Brucellosis is a disease, caused by bacteria, which affects many different kinds of animals – including sheep, goats, cattle, deer, elk, pigs, and dogs. However, it can also cause a disease with flu-like symptoms in humans. People with brucellosis may develop fever, sweats, headaches, back pains, and physical weakness.
This is a serious zoonotic disease causing illness in people. Brucella abortus no longer occurs in Australia as a result of a national eradication program between 1970 and 1989. Brucella ovis infection causes disease and infertility in sheep, but does not affect people.
Person-to-person spread of brucellosis is extremely rare. Infected mothers who are breast-feeding may transmit the infection to their infants. Sexual transmission has been rarely reported. While uncommon, transmission may also occur via tissue transplantation or blood transfusions.
Of the 4 Brucella species known to cause disease in humans (B abortus, B melitensis, B canis, B suis), B melitensis is thought to be the most virulent and causes the most severe and acute cases of brucellosis; it is also the most prevalent worldwide.
Key facts. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs. Humans generally acquire the disease through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products or by inhaling airborne agents.
Animals that are most commonly infected include sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, and dogs, among others. Brucellosis in the U.S.
Brucellosis initially causes a flu-like illness with fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and pain in the muscles, joints, or back. The fever might go up and down over a 24-hour period (another name for brucellosis is 'undulant fever'). Other symptoms can include loss of appetite and weight loss.
Canine Brucellosis is a disease found in dogs and caused by the bacterium, Brucella canis. Infected dogs can also spread the disease to people.
Generally, the antibiotics doxycycline and rifampin are recommended in combination for a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
What are the symptoms? Brucellosis typically begins with a flu-like illness. This may include fever, headache, weakness, drenching sweats, chills, weight loss, joint and muscle pain, and generalised aches. Inflammation of the liver and spleen, and gastrointestinal or respiratory symptoms may also occur.
Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by Brucella species. It is known by many other names, including remitting fever, undulant fever, Mediterranean fever, Maltese fever, Gibraltar fever, Crimean fever, goat fever, and Bang disease.
Some people have chronic brucellosis and experience symptoms for years, even after treatment. Long-term signs and symptoms may include: Fatigue.
Antibiotics are effective against Brucella. The antibiotics of choice are doxycycline and rifampin and are used in combination for a number of weeks to prevent recurring infection. Depending on the timing of treatment and severity of illness, recovery may take a few weeks to several months.
Brucellosis can be diagnosed in a laboratory by finding bacteria in samples of blood, bone marrow or other bodily fluids. Serological tests can also be done to detect antibodies against the bacteria. Learn more about what can be done to help confirm diagnosis of this disease.
Clinical Presentation
Focal infections are common and can affect most organs in the body. Osteoarticular involvement is the most common brucellosis complication, as is reproductive system involvement. Although rare, endocarditis can occur and is the principal cause of death among patients with brucellosis.
Many reports have indicated that Brucella species are readily killed by most of the commonly available disinfectants including hypochlorite solutions, 70% ethanol, isopropanol, iodophores, phenolic disinfectants, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and xylene [5,10].
Disinfectants with bleach, at least 70 percent ethanol, iodine/alcohol solutions, glutaraldehyde or formaldehyde will effectively kill the bacteria. How is canine brucellosis prevented?
Since person-to-person transmission is rare, patients do not have to be held in isolation rooms. Healthcare workers should exercise standard precautions. Laboratory workers should take necessary precautions when working with Brucella species.
The symptoms of neurobrucellosis may include symptoms like headache, fever, or muscle or joint pain, along with neurologic symptoms such as confusion, meningoencephalitis, myelitis, peripheral and cranial neuropathies, and psychiatric manifestations.
See a GP if you have symptoms of brucellosis and:
you've had unpasteurised milk or dairy products. you've eaten raw or undercooked meat. you work closely with farm animals.
Doctors usually confirm a diagnosis of brucellosis by testing blood or bone marrow for the brucella bacteria or by testing blood for antibodies to the bacteria. To help detect complications of brucellosis, your doctor may order additional tests, including: X-rays. X-rays can reveal changes in your bones and joints.
Neurobrucellosis is a focal complication of brucellosis affecting both central and peripheral nervous system presenting varieties of signs and symptoms. The most reported manifestations are meningitis and meningoencephalitis. It is a rare presentation of brucellosis.
The natural invasion of the host by Brucella induces a specific immune response mediated by Th1 lymphocytes that protects against the development of the disease, similar to the one observed in infections caused by other intracellular pathogens as Salmonella and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Brucellosis is caused by Brucella species, which are gram-negative bacteria. Symptoms begin as an acute febrile illness with few or no localized signs and may progress to a chronic stage with relapses of fever, weakness, sweats, and vague aches and pains. Diagnosis is by culture, usually from the blood.