Depending on the timing of treatment and severity of illness, recovery may take a few weeks to several months. Death from brucellosis is rare, occurring in no more than 2% of all cases. Generally, the antibiotics doxycycline and rifampin are recommended in combination for a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
Brucellosis can be treated with antibiotics – but it can take a long time, and treatment can be difficult. Depending on the severity of the illness – and when treatment is begun – it can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to recover.
Brucellosis (pronounced “bru-cell-OH-sis”) is a disease you get from the bacteria Brucella. It can cause vague symptoms like fever, joint pain and sweating that come and go over a long time. Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease, meaning you get it from animals.
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].
Brucellosis can also cause long-lasting or chronic symptoms such as recurrent fevers, joint pain, testicular swelling, heart infections, nervous system impairment, depression, and fatigue. Death from brucellosis is rare.
Some people have chronic brucellosis and experience symptoms for years, even after treatment. Long-term signs and symptoms may include: Fatigue.
Depending on the timing of treatment and severity of illness, recovery may take a few weeks to several months. Death from brucellosis is rare, occurring in no more than 2% of all cases. Generally, the antibiotics doxycycline and rifampin are recommended in combination for a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
This method of transmission primarily affects farmers, butchers, hunters, veterinarians and laboratory personnel. Worldwide, Brucella melitensis is the most prevalent species causing human brucellosis, owing in part to difficulties in immunizing free-ranging goats and sheep. Human-to-human transmission is very rare.
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.
Canine Brucellosis is a disease found in dogs and caused by the bacterium, Brucella canis. Infected dogs can also spread the disease to people.
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.
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.
Most cases with uncomplicated brucellosis in adults can be readily treated with the combination of doxycycline and rifampicin (in a dose adjusted to body weight) for 45 days.
There is a need to establish facilities for isolation and characterization of Brucella species for effective clinical management of the disease among patients as well as surveillance and control of infection in domestic animals.
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.
In patients with active brucellosis, the liver is commonly affected, and the most frequent clinical manifestation is hepatosplenomegaly. The molecular mechanisms implicated in liver damage have been recently elucidated. It has been demonstrated how Brucella interacts with hepatocytes inducing its death by apoptosis.
Involvement of the musculoskeletal system is the most common complication of brucellosis, while meningitis and endocarditis are life-threatening complications.
Neurologic symptoms of brucellosis can include weakness, dizziness, unsteadiness of gait, and urinary retention. Symptoms associated with cranial nerve dysfunction may affect persons with chronic central nervous system (CNS) involvement.
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.
Lymph nodes, spleen, lungs, and the reproductive organs, including placenta, testicular and mammary glands, are well-known target organs for Brucella infection [27].
An abnormal (positive) result usually means you have come in contact with the bacteria that causes brucellosis. However, this positive result does not mean that you have an active infection. Your provider will have you repeat the test after a few weeks to see if the test result increases.
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.
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.