Etiological agent = Brucella spp.

Brucella are small, gram (-) coccobacilli. They are facultative intracellular pathogens that survive and replicate in white blood cells. Their virulence is associated with the organism's LPS.

Historically, brucellosis was one of the major public health concerns (along with bovine tuberculosis) for the veterinary profession. In the U.S., the veterinary community can be duly proud of its role in reducing the incidence of human and animal disease caused by Brucella and Mycobacterium bovis through test and slaughter and, in the case of brucellosis, vaccination programs. Because of these efforts, there are now only about 100 cases of human brucellosis per year in the U.S., and many of these are imported. But in developing countries, several hundred thousand cases of human brucellosis still occur each year, due to the continued presence of substantial animal reservoirs of the organisms.

• In proximity to the U.S., brucellosis remains one of the most important animal diseases in Latin America. In 1998, there were ~6,500 cases of brucellosis in humans in Mexico alone. Brucellosis is also widespread in portions of the Middle East.

Brucellosis topics

(To view any of these topics, simply click on the appropriate subject.)

• Brucellosis in humans
• Brucellosis in animals
• References

First Brucellosis topic