Brucellosis cannot be ignored

Brucella is a Gram-negative bacillus belonging to the Gram-negative bacteria family. It is a short coccus with rounded ends, often present alone, without flagella (no power), without spores, and smooth with microcapsules. It is the pathogen that causes brucellosis (abbreviated as brucellosis).

Electron microscope photo of Brucella

The bacteria can be divided into 12 species, of which there are 6 species of classical Brucella, namely, sheep species, cattle species, porcine species, dog species, ovine epididymis species, and sarin rat species. The first four species are pathogenic to humans, but with different virulence.

Brucellosis is an important zoonotic infectious disease. Livestock infected with brucellosis suffer from miscarriage, stillbirth, infertility, mastitis and orchitis, which seriously affects the development of animal husbandry. Humans can be infected with the disease through contact with sick animals or eating unboiled milk, dairy products, meat and other foods from sick animals. When people are infected with brucellosis, they often show high fever or long-term low fever, general fatigue, and joint pain that can gradually turn into chronic disease, invading the skeletal system, central nervous system, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system and skin. If not treated in time, it will cause lifelong infection and even lead to infertility, miscarriage and loss of labor force.

Brucellosis-induced abortion in cows

China conducted large-scale animal brucellosis prevention and control in the 1960s and 1970s, which significantly reduced the incidence rate. However, in recent years, the incidence rate has been on the rise, mainly in pastoral areas such as the northwest, northeast, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Inner Mongolia. The peak incidence of the disease is between spring and summer, which is related to the animal birthing season. Bovine and sheep germs are the main pathogens in China.

People in Brucella-endemic areas, especially herders, farmers, slaughterhouse workers, and fur processing workers who have frequent contact with infected animals, should be alert to the possibility of Brucella infection if they develop symptoms such as fever, sweating, fatigue, and joint pain. They must promptly go to the infectious disease department of the local hospital or an infectious disease hospital for treatment.

Treatments for brucellosis include antibiotics and supportive care. Early diagnosis and treatment can effectively alleviate symptoms and prevent complications. Preventive measures include strengthening sanitation management, regularly checking the health of livestock, and avoiding the consumption of unboiled milk and dairy products.

Author | Wang Xu (Chinese Society for Microbiology)

Audit Expert | Ding Jiabo (Beijing Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences)