Nature of the disease
Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that spreads
from animals to people, most often via unpasteurized milk, cheese, other dairy
products and undercooked meat from infected animals, or close contact with
their secretions. More rarely, the bacteria that cause
brucellosis can spread through the air or through direct contact with infected
animals. It is associated with fever,
joint pain and fatigue.
from animals to people, most often via unpasteurized milk, cheese, other dairy
products and undercooked meat from infected animals, or close contact with
their secretions. More rarely, the bacteria that cause
brucellosis can spread through the air or through direct contact with infected
animals. It is associated with fever,
joint pain and fatigue.
Causative agents
Brucellosis
affects many wild and domestic animals. Cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, dogs,
camels and wild boar are especially prone to the disease. The bacteria may be
spread from animals to people in three main ways:
affects many wild and domestic animals. Cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, dogs,
camels and wild boar are especially prone to the disease. The bacteria may be
spread from animals to people in three main ways:
i.
Raw dairy
products: Brucella bacteria in the
milk of infected animals can spread to humans in unpasteurized milk, ice cream,
butter and cheeses. The bacteria can also be transmitted in raw or undercooked
meat from infected animals.
Raw dairy
products: Brucella bacteria in the
milk of infected animals can spread to humans in unpasteurized milk, ice cream,
butter and cheeses. The bacteria can also be transmitted in raw or undercooked
meat from infected animals.
ii.
Inhalation: Brucella bacteria spread easily in the air. Farmers,
laboratory technicians and slaughterhouse workers can inhale the bacteria.
Inhalation: Brucella bacteria spread easily in the air. Farmers,
laboratory technicians and slaughterhouse workers can inhale the bacteria.
iii.
Direct
contact: Bacteria in the blood,
semen or placenta of an infected animal can enter your bloodstream through a
cut or other wound. Because normal contact with animals — touching, brushing or
playing — doesn’t cause infection, people rarely get brucellosis from their
pets. Even so, people with weakened immune systems should avoid handling dogs
known to have the disease.
Direct
contact: Bacteria in the blood,
semen or placenta of an infected animal can enter your bloodstream through a
cut or other wound. Because normal contact with animals — touching, brushing or
playing — doesn’t cause infection, people rarely get brucellosis from their
pets. Even so, people with weakened immune systems should avoid handling dogs
known to have the disease.
Brucellosis normally
doesn’t spread from person to person, but there have been some very few cases,
women passing the disease to their infants during birth or through their breast
milk. Rarely, brucellosis may spread through sexual activity or through
contaminated blood or bone marrow transfusions.
doesn’t spread from person to person, but there have been some very few cases,
women passing the disease to their infants during birth or through their breast
milk. Rarely, brucellosis may spread through sexual activity or through
contaminated blood or bone marrow transfusions.
Clinical features
Brucellosis presents different non-specific
clinical manifestation such as fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia, headache, back
pain as well as substantial residual disability.
clinical manifestation such as fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia, headache, back
pain as well as substantial residual disability.
Signs and symptoms
Signs and symptoms of
brucellosis may show up anytime from a few days to a few months after an
individual is infected. Signs and symptoms are similar to those of the flu and
include:
brucellosis may show up anytime from a few days to a few months after an
individual is infected. Signs and symptoms are similar to those of the flu and
include:
i.
Fever
Fever
ii.
Chills
Chills
iii.
Loss of
appetite
Loss of
appetite
iv.
Sweats
Sweats
v.
Weakness
Weakness
vi.
Fatigue
Fatigue
vii.
Joint,
muscle and back pain
Joint,
muscle and back pain
viii.
Headache
Headache
Brucellosis signs and symptoms
may disappear for weeks or months and then return. In some people, brucellosis
becomes chronic, with symptoms persisting for years, even after treatment.
Long-term signs and symptoms may include fatigue, recurrent fevers, arthritis
and swelling of the heart.
may disappear for weeks or months and then return. In some people, brucellosis
becomes chronic, with symptoms persisting for years, even after treatment.
Long-term signs and symptoms may include fatigue, recurrent fevers, arthritis
and swelling of the heart.
Diagnosis
of brucellosis
of brucellosis
Brucellosis is diagnosed by
testing a sample of blood or bone marrow for the brucella bacteria or by
testing blood for antibodies to the bacteria. To help detect complications of
brucellosis, other additional tests, including:
testing a sample of blood or bone marrow for the brucella bacteria or by
testing blood for antibodies to the bacteria. To help detect complications of
brucellosis, other additional tests, including:
i.
X-rays: X-rays is used to reveal changes in the bones and
joints.
X-rays: X-rays is used to reveal changes in the bones and
joints.
ii.
Computerized
tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): These imaging tests help to identify inflammation in
the brain or other tissues.
Computerized
tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): These imaging tests help to identify inflammation in
the brain or other tissues.
iii.
Cerebrospinal
fluid culture: This checks a small sample
of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord for infections such as
meningitis.
Cerebrospinal
fluid culture: This checks a small sample
of the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord for infections such as
meningitis.
iv.
Echocardiography: This test uses sound waves to create images of the heart
to check for signs of infection or damage to the heart.
Echocardiography: This test uses sound waves to create images of the heart
to check for signs of infection or damage to the heart.
Incubation period of
brucellosis
brucellosis
The incubation period is highly variable, usually 2-4 weeks, can be 1 week to 2 months or
longer.
longer.
Treatment of brucellosis
Treatment for brucellosis aims to relieve
symptoms, prevent a relapse of the disease and avoid complications. This is
done through the use of antibiotics for at least six weeks, and the symptoms
may not go away completely for several months. The disease can also return and
may become chronic.
symptoms, prevent a relapse of the disease and avoid complications. This is
done through the use of antibiotics for at least six weeks, and the symptoms
may not go away completely for several months. The disease can also return and
may become chronic.
Preventive measures for
brucellosis
brucellosis
To reduce the risk of
getting brucellosis, the following preventive measures are very important:
getting brucellosis, the following preventive measures are very important:
·
Avoid
unpasteurized dairy foods: Cases of
brucellosis have been linked to raw dairy products from domestic herds. So it
is probably best to avoid unpasteurized milk, cheese and ice cream, no matter
what their origin.
Avoid
unpasteurized dairy foods: Cases of
brucellosis have been linked to raw dairy products from domestic herds. So it
is probably best to avoid unpasteurized milk, cheese and ice cream, no matter
what their origin.
·
Cook meat
thoroughly: Cook all meat until it
reaches an internal temperature of 63 to 74 C. When eating out, order beef and
pork at least medium-well.
Cook meat
thoroughly: Cook all meat until it
reaches an internal temperature of 63 to 74 C. When eating out, order beef and
pork at least medium-well.
·
Wear
gloves: For veterinarians, farmers,
hunters or slaughterhouse workers, wear rubber gloves when handling sick or
dead animals or animal tissue or when assisting an animal giving birth.
Wear
gloves: For veterinarians, farmers,
hunters or slaughterhouse workers, wear rubber gloves when handling sick or
dead animals or animal tissue or when assisting an animal giving birth.
·
Take
safety precautions in high-risk workplaces: Laboratory workers, should handle all specimens under
appropriate biosafety conditions. Treat all workers who have been exposed
promptly. Slaughterhouses should also follow protective measures, such as
separation of the killing floor from other processing areas and use of
protective clothing.
Take
safety precautions in high-risk workplaces: Laboratory workers, should handle all specimens under
appropriate biosafety conditions. Treat all workers who have been exposed
promptly. Slaughterhouses should also follow protective measures, such as
separation of the killing floor from other processing areas and use of
protective clothing.
·
Vaccinate domestic animals
Vaccinate domestic animals
