Infectious non-human mammalian disease that is contagious to man; it is caused by Brucella species.
Infection Medium
- The brucellosis usually detected in goats , cattle cattle, pigs , sheep and dogs bred in kennels (particularly beagles). Infections have also been observed in horses , mules, wild buffalo , reindeer (caribou), deer , elk, mares, and desert rats . The placenta , fetus , milk, and semen of animals with brucellosis can be infectious.
- On the other hand, insects do not appear to be important with respect to the spread of the disease. The route of invasion of Brucella can be through the eye , nasopharynx, genital tract and digestive tract, while the non-eroded skin is resistant.
- Most infections in man are the result of direct contact with sick animals . On the other hand certain occupations, especially work in packaging plants that process pork products, dairy products, in veterinary surgery and in laboratory bacteriology can lead to brucellosis .
- The Brucella are distributed throughout the body of the animals infected and can remain viable for 21 days in a chilled carcass. They can also survive the curing of ham , although smoking, cooking, and pasteurization kills them.
In the pregnant animal
The animals pregnant are particularly susceptible and often abort.
Signs and symptoms
In most cases, the disease occurs insidiously. The predominant symptoms include weakness, sweating, chills, malaise, sore head , sore back and arthralgia. Typically, there are few physical abnormalities, and almost all patients experience a fever at some point.
People with brucellosis chronic discomfort may occur upset, sore head , sweating, recurrent depression, inertia, vague pains, sexual impotence and insomnia . They can also develop abscesses in the liver , spleen , genital organs , spine or long bones .
Treatment
Patients with brucellosis should rest in bed while they have a fever, while those with dehydration should be given glucose or electrolyte solutions intravenously. These patients should eat a calorie- and carbohydrate-free diet to avoid starvation acidosis.
The key to treatment lies in the rapid use of specific antimicrobial agents. Active brucellosis, that is, fever, isolation of Brucella species , high serum antibody titers, local infection, and complications, is an indication for treatment. In this case, tetracycline should be administered ,oxytetracycline or chlorotetracycline in a dose of 28 to 30 mg / kg / day, orally, in 4 equal parts, every 6 hours, for 3-4 weeks.
Antimicrobials that are not recommended for the treatment of brucellosis include all penicillins, all cephalosporins , as well as chloramphenicol, novobiocin, cycloserine , erythromycin , neomycin , kanamycin , gentamicin , polymyxins B and E, and the sulfamides. Treatment with blood transfusions, immune serum, vaccines, and Brucella phages is also not recommended .
If possible, proceed to surgical drainage of abscesses. Abscesses of the spleen or kidney are cured by removal of the organ . Spondylitis can be cured by using appropriate antimicrobials, bed rest, and immobilization of the affected area without surgical drainage.