Table of Contents
What disease does Brucella melitensis cause?
Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus cause brucellosis or undulant fever, Mediterranean fever, or goat-milk fever. Brucellosis is contracted by ingestion of contaminated, unpasteurized milk or milk products or through contact with infected animals by means of skin abrasions.
What does brucellosis do to humans?
Brucellosis can affect almost any part of your body, including your reproductive system, liver, heart and central nervous system. Chronic brucellosis may cause complications in just one organ or throughout your body. Possible complications include: Inflammation of the inner lining of the heart chambers (endocarditis).
What is most likely way to acquire a Brucella melitensis infection?
The most common way to be infected is by eating or drinking unpasteurized/raw dairy products. When sheep, goats, cows, or camels are infected, their milk becomes contaminated with the bacteria.
What is the difference between Brucella abortus and melitensis?
Brucella species differ markedly in their capacity to cause invasive human disease. Brucella melitensis is the most pathogenic; B abortus is associated with less frequent infection and a greater proportion of subclinical cases. The virulence of B suis strains for humans varies but is generally intermediate.
Is Brucella an STD?
Canine brucellosis is a contagious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium, Brucella canis (B. canis). This bacterial infection is highly contagious between dogs. Infected dogs usually develop an infection of the reproductive system, or a sexually transmitted disease.
What is the treatment of Brucella?
You will generally be given doxycycline and rifampin a in combination for 6-8 weeks. You must take the antibiotics for many weeks to prevent the disease from returning. The rate of relapse following treatment is about 5-15% and usually occurs within the first six months after treatment.
What are the symptoms of brucellosis in humans?
Signs and Symptoms
- fever.
- sweats.
- malaise.
- anorexia.
- headache.
- pain in muscles, joint, and/or back.
- fatigue.
How long does it take to heal brucellosis in human?
The symptoms usually improve and are completely gone within about two to six months. However, the prognosis is poor in people who develop organ changes or complications such as heart damage, neurological, or genitourinary problems caused by chronic Brucella infection.
Are there any cases of Brucella melitensis in humans?
Brucella melitensis*. Principal hosts – goats and sheep. Most pathogenic in humans. Considered to be eradicated in the U.S. since the early 1970s. Sporadic cases in humans in the U.S. occur related to consumption of unpasteurized dairy products from countries where the disease is present.
What kind of disease is brucellosis in humans?
Human brucellosis is either an acute febrile disease or a persistent disease with a wide variety of symptoms. It is a true zoonosis in that virtually all human infections are acquired from animals.
What are the different types of Brucella bacteria?
Classification and Antigenic Types. Distinguishing features of the six species of Brucella and their preferred hosts are shown in Table 28-1. B abortus, B melitensis and B suis are serious pathogens in humans, B canis causes mild disease and the other two species have not affected humans.
Can a goat be infected with Brucella melitensis?
Brucella abortus has been shown to infect goats in natural and experimental infections, and B. ovis has also been shown to infect goats experimentally. Does infected with B. melitensis will also abort during the third trimester. Infections with B. abortus in cattle produce few clinical signs.