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Brucellosis is a disease that people can get from contact with infected animals or animal products. Learn about transmission, prevention, signs, symptoms, treatment, and surveillance from CDC.
- Transmission
Breathing in the bacteria that cause brucellosis...
- Treatment
Before treatment begins, a diagnosis of brucellosis...
- Risk of Exposure
Learn about the places around the world where brucellosis is...
- Veterinarians
Brucellosis Reference Guide Cdc-pdf [PDF – 40 pages] Page...
- Signs & Symptoms
Brucellosis can cause of range of signs and symptoms, some...
- Prevention
The best way to prevent brucellosis infection is to be sure...
- Clinicians
Brucellosis can be diagnosed in a laboratory by finding...
- Laboratory Personnel
Brucellosis is the most commonly reported...
- References & Resources
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- Transmission
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- Symptoms
- When to see a doctor
- Causes
- Risk factors
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•Overview
•Symptoms
•When to see a doctor
•Causes
•Risk factors
•Complications
Symptoms of brucellosis may show up anytime from a few days to a few months after you've been infected. Signs and symptoms are similar to those of the flu and include:
•Fever
•Chills
•Loss of appetite
•Sweats
•Weakness
Brucellosis can be hard to identify, especially in the early stages, when it often resembles other conditions, such as the flu. See your doctor if you develop a rapidly rising fever, muscle aches or unusual weakness and have any risk factors for the disease, or if you have a persistent fever.
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Brucellosis affects many wild and domestic animals, including:
•Cattle
•Goats
•Sheep
•Pigs and wild hogs
•Dogs, especially those used in hunting
Occupations at higher risk
People who work with animals or who come into contact with infected blood are at higher risk of brucellosis. Examples include:
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). This is one of the most serious complications of brucellosis. Untreated endocarditis can damage or destroy the heart valves and is the leading cause of brucellosis-related deaths.
•Arthritis. Joint inflammation is marked by pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints, especially the knees, hips, ankles, wrists and spine. Inflammation of the joints in your spine (spondylitis) or the joints linking the lower spine and pelvis (sacroiliitis) can be particularly hard to treat and may cause lasting damage.
•Inflammation and infection of the testicles (epididymo-orchitis). The bacteria that cause brucellosis can infect the epididymis, the coiled tube that connects the vas deferens and the testicle. From there, the infection may spread to the testicle itself, causing swelling and pain, which may be severe.
•Inflammation and infection of the spleen and liver. Brucellosis can also affect the spleen and liver, causing them to enlarge beyond their usual size.
•Central nervous system infections. These include potentially life-threatening illnesses such as inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) or inflammation of the brain itself (encephalitis).
To reduce the risk of getting brucellosis, take these precautions:
•Avoid unpasteurized dairy foods. In recent years in the United States, few cases of brucellosis have been linked to raw dairy products from domestic herds. Still, it's best to avoid unpasteurized milk, cheese and ice cream, no matter what their origin. If you're traveling to other countries, avoid all raw dairy foods.
•Cook meat thoroughly. Cook a whole cut of meat until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C) and let it rest for at least three minutes — a medium doneness. Cook ground meat to 160 F (71 C) — well done. Cook all poultry, including ground poultry, to 165 F (74 C). When traveling outside of the United States, avoid undercooked meats.
•Wear gloves. If you're a veterinarian, farmer, hunter or slaughterhouse worker, 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. If you work in a laboratory, handle all specimens under appropriate biosafety conditions. Slaughterhouses should also follow protective measures, such as separating the killing floor from other processing areas and use of protective clothing.
•Vaccinate domestic animals. In the United States, an aggressive vaccination program has nearly eliminated brucellosis in livestock herds. Because the brucellosis vaccine is live, it can cause disease in people. Anyone who has an accidental needle stick while vaccinating an animal should be treated.
•A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition
•Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition
Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that spreads from animals to people, usually through raw or unpasteurized dairy products. It can cause fever, joint pain, fatigue and other complications. Learn how to prevent, diagnose and treat brucellosis from Mayo Clinic experts.
Brucellosis is a zoonosis caused by ingestion of unpasteurized milk from infected animals, or close contact with their secretions. It is also known as undulant fever , Malta fever , and Mediterranean fever .
- fever, chills, loss of appetite, sweats, weakness, fatigue, Joint, muscle and back pain, Headache.
- antibiotics
Jul 29, 2020 · Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs. Humans generally acquire the disease through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products or by inhaling airborne agents. Most cases are caused by ingesting unpasteurized milk or cheese from infected goats or sheep. WHO provides prevention and treatment strategies, as well as information and guidance for the management of brucellosis in humans and animals.
Apr 29, 2023 · 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.
- 2023/04/29
Sep 25, 2021 · Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that causes fever, joint pain and other symptoms. It can be diagnosed by testing blood or bone marrow for the bacteria or antibodies. Treatment includes antibiotics for at least six weeks and may include imaging tests, cerebrospinal fluid culture and echocardiography.
Aug 22, 2022 · Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that you get from the bacteria Brucella. It can cause fever, joint pain, sweating and other symptoms that come and go for a long time. You can get it from drinking or handling unpasteurized milk or meat products, or from contact with infected animals. Treatment involves antibiotics for at least six to eight weeks.
