Brucella
Brucella is a bacteria that spreads from animals to humans most commonly through ingesting a contaminated food product or direct contact with an infected animal. Human to human contact is very rare.[1] The incidence of confirmed infection in humans in the US hovers just over 100 cases total.[2] The incidence in other parts of the world is higher.[3]
Brucellosis
The disease caused by a brucella infection is called brucellosis. It causes an acute febrile illness associated with rigors, sweats, malaise, anorexia, headache, pain in muscles, joint, and/or back, and fatigue. If untreated, it can potentially cause a debilitating chronic infection in humans with reoccurring fevers, arthritis, swelling of the testicle and scrotum area, swelling of the heart (endocarditis), neurologic symptoms (in up to 5% of all cases), chronic fatigue, depression, swelling of the liver and/or spleen.[4][5]
Risk for exposure
The people most at risk for acquiring a Brucella infection are people who[6]:
- consume undercooked meat or unpasteurized milk products from an infected animal
- slaughterhouse workers
- meat-packing plant employees
- veterinarians
- hunters dressing an infected animal
- laboratory workers who handle the bacteria
- an infant breastfeeding from an infected mother
Treatment
Treatment is a combination of broad spectrum antibiotics.[7]
Lean more
See also
References
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/index.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/resources/surveillance.html
- ↑ Rubach, M. P., Halliday, J. E. B., Cleaveland, S., & Crump, J. A. (2013). Brucellosis in low-income and middle-income countries. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases, 26(5), 404–412. http://doi.org/10.1097/QCO.0b013e3283638104
- ↑ Rubach, M. P., Halliday, J. E. B., Cleaveland, S., & Crump, J. A. (2013). Brucellosis in low-income and middle-income countries. Current Opinion in Infectious Diseases, 26(5), 404–412. http://doi.org/10.1097/QCO.0b013e3283638104
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/symptoms/index.html
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/transmission/index.html
- ↑ Michael J. Corbel. (1997). Brucellosis: an Overview. Emerging Infectious Diseases. Vol. 3, No. 2, pp 213-221. DOI: 10.3201/eid0302.970219
- ↑ Michael J. Corbel. (1997). Brucellosis: an Overview. Emerging Infectious Diseases. Vol. 3, No. 2, pp 213-221. DOI: 10.3201/eid0302.970219
