Transcript Brucellosis
BRUCELLOSIS
Navies 2011
Brucella
The causative agent of Brucellosis
Zoonotic disease in food animals
More prevalent in developing countries
A genus of Gram-negative rods - coccobacillus
Found in 7 different species
B. canis (canine)
B. abortus (equine & bovine)
B. melitensis
B. neotomae
B. ovis
B. suis
Etiology
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Caused by Brucella canis
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Gram negative bacteria
Causes abortions, usually
in third trimester of
pregnancy
Dogs are the definitive
host
Considered a zoonotic
bacteria
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Human infections are
rare
Caution when handling
aborted animals
Brucella canis rods
History of disease
Thought to exist since
Roman times
In 1887 Dr. Bruce
isolated the organism
(hence Brucellosis)
In 1966 Brucella Canis
was identified as the
causative agent of
canine brucellosis
B. canis
Transmitted through ingestion/ inhalation
Bacterium can be found in:
lymphatic system
genital tract
eye
kidney
intervertebral disks
spleen
Small red coccobacillus in clumps
Associated conditions:
Infertility
Abortions
Diskospondylitis
B. canis
Signalment
Non
breed specific
Affects males/ females
Sexually
mature
5-12mos. Of age
B. canis
Clinical Signs:
Scrotal
swelling/dermatitis
Enlarged epididymis
Testicular atrophy
Abortion
Infertility
Vaginal
1-6
discharge
wks postabortion
B. canis
Clinical Signs:
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Primary sign is abortion in last
trimester of pregnancy,
followed by prolonged
vaginal discharge
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Infected dogs may develop
generalized lymphadenitis
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Epididymitis
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Periorchitis
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Prostatisis
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Spondylitis and uveitis are
occassional complications
Enlarged Epididymis
B. canis
Transmission:
• Can easily penetrate any mucous membrane
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Oral, conjunctival or venereal
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Infection though oral route is the most common though ingestion of
infected material
In a pregnant female the organism goes though the
uterus and causes a late abortion
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After the abortion, vaginal discharge and the aborted
material contain a large number of the bacteria
In males, the urine and semen is where large numbers of
bacteria are found
Diagnostic tests and expected results
Isolated from vaginal exudate, aborted puppies,
blood, milk, semen
Simplest test is Rapid Slide Agglutination Test to
look for antibodies against disease
B. canis
Diagnosis:
• Isolation and identification of the bacteria is the only way to
diagnose the disease
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Organism can be isolated from:
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Vaginal exudate
Aborted puppies
Blood (it takes up to 3 weeks to be detected in blood stream)
Milk
Semen
Widely used tests are agglutination test by tube or slide
method
Agar gel immunodiffusion tests used in some laboratories
B. canis
Recommended Treatment:
• Usually unsuccessful and not recommended to
eliminate the organism
• Long term antibiotics used and show some promise
• Animals treated may remain infected after
treatment
• Doxycycline and an aminoglycoside
• Tertacycline and streptomycin
• Minocycline and streptomycin
B. canis
Prognosis:
Animals can naturally heal but may take up to five
years
Relapses can occur and symptoms may occur for
several years
B. canis
Prevention:
Animals
with brucellosis should be neutered/spayed
In large kennels/ shelters daily use of Roccal will kill the
bacteria
Keep new animals quarantined before introducing them
to other canines.
Facts
Not common in US; about 100-200 cases each year
More common in countries with no good
standardized and effective public health and
domestic animal programs, like South and Central
America, E. Europe, Asia, Africa
No vaccine in humans
Also known as Canine STD
Brucella suis
Swine
B. suis
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Etiology:
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Caused by Brucella suis
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Spread by ingesting infected tissues
or fluids
Highest prevalence among feral pigs
Can remain in some herds for years
Considered zoonotic
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Humans come in contact with bacteria
through:
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Laboratory work
Farming
Herding
Veterinary work
Though contact with infected animals or
tissues
Brucella suis
B. suis
Signalment:
B. suis has no specific signalment
Pigs that are used for breeding do have a high risk
of contracting the bacteria
B. suis
Transmission:
• Pigs that are raised for breeding are a source of
infection
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Can be transmitted by ingestion of feedstuffs that are
contaminated by birth and/or abortion products and
uterine discharges
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Suckling pigs may become infected by means of mother, but
most reach weanling age without becoming infected
Pigs will eat aborted fetuses and membranes
Transmission can occur during copulation or artificial
insemination
B. suis
Clinical signs:
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After exposure to bacteria, pigs develop a bacteremia that may
persist for up to 90 days
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Localization to various tissues may occur during or after bacteremia
Abortion
Temporary or permanent sterility
Orchitis
Lameness
Posterior paralysis
Spondylitis
Metritis
Abscess formation
B. suis
Diagnosis:
Card test (most accurate)
Serum agglutination tests
Complement fixation tests
Entire
herds of pigs must be tested rather than
individual pigs
B. suis
Recommended Treatment:
No vaccine for Brucella suis
No recommended treatment
Control of transmission is based on test,
cull(segregation), and slaughter of infected pigs
B. suis
Prognosis:
Can be eradicated from infected herds by means
of:
Depopulation
Tests
and removal methods
Quarantine of infected herds
B. suis
Prevention:
Keeping domesticated swine herds from coming in
contact with wild and feral swine
Test herds and not breeding swine that are infected
Quarantine swine purchased in fairs or other
sources until testing can be done
B. suis
Client Education:
Perform regular testing of herds
Purchase swine from reputable sellers
Keep those that are infected in isolation and do not
use for breeding
Test semen that will be used for insemination prior
to insemination
Brucella abortus
Bovine
B. abortus- Bovines
History:
1895- Bang in Copenhagen isolated the organism
Brucella abortus and proved that it caused abortions in
cattle
"Bang's abortion”
1917- Yellowstone Nat’l Park documented brucellosis
among the bison herd.
1956- Due to a $1 billion eradication program, only the
‘Triple U’ buffalo herd and five infected private cattle
herds in Texas and Missouri still harbor brucellosis.
B suis or B melitensis has also rarely been implicated in
some cattle herds.
B. abortus- Bovine
Signalment:
Males
& females
Any age or breed
B. abortus- Bovine
Transmission:
Occurs
Can
by ingestion of organisms
be present in:
aborted fetuses
fetal membranes
uterine discharges
contaminated feed/water
licking
contaminated genitals of other animals
artificial insemination when contaminated semen is
deposited in the uterus
B. abortus- Bovine
Clinical Signs:
abortion
is the most obvious sign!!
weak or stillborn calves
reduced milk production
retained placentas
agglutinins in the seminal plasma
testicular abscesses in infected bulls
arthritis may result from longstanding infections
B. abortus- Bovine
Diagnostic Tests:
Herds:
bang test/ Brucellosis ring test: Herd’s milk and
test for agglutination
Serum agglutinin tests are the standard method of
diagnosis
A
complete agglutination at a dilution of 1:100 or more is
positive for brucellosis in non vaccinated animals.
1:200 is positive for animals vaccinated between 4 to 12
months of age.
B. abortus- Bovine
Treatment:
Treatment
for brucellosis of cattle is not permitted
ALL infected cattle and contacts which have been
exposed to infection must be slaughtered.
B. abortus- Bovine
Pathological lesions:
granulomatous
inflammatory lesions are present during
a necropsy
Lesions may be present in:
the reproductive tract
udder
supramammary
lymph nodes
joints
synovial membranes.
Vaccination
The vaccine is a live product and must be
administered only by an accredited veterinarian or
State or Federal animal health official.
Brucella vaccine, called Strain RB51, for use in cattle
Female calves should be vaccinated when they are
4 to 6 months old.
At the time of vaccination, a tattoo is applied in the
ear; that tattoo identifies the animal as an "official
vaccinate." The tattoo identifies the year in which
vaccination took place.
Brucella abortus
Equine
B. abortus- Equine
Reported sporactically in the US over the last 70 yrs
Declined in prevalence due to the Brucellosis Cattle
Eradication program
Higher infection rates in:
Texas
Florida
Alabama
Louisiana
B. abortus- Equine
Signalment:
All
breeds
Males & females
No age descrimination
B. abortus- Equine
Clinical Signs:
Most
commonly manifests as fistulas located in the
withers of the horse
A
source of exposure to humans
Late
term abortions
Non-specific lameness due to joint infections
‘poll evil’
B. abortus- Equine
Prognosis/ Diagnosis
Unlike
B. abortus in cattle, no specific Equine Brucellosis
eradication program has ever been implemented.
Samples of infection sites are obtained for cultures
B. abortus is difficult to isolate, so horse must also be
tested for evidence of anitbodies to B. abortus.
Titers (plate agglutination) greater than or equal to
1:50 is considered + for this bacteria.
B. abortus- Equine
Prevention:
Neuter/cull infected animals
Quarantine & testing all new animals especially
breeding stock
Brucellois in Humans
Humans can become infected by coming in contact
with infected animals or animal products that are
contaminated with this bacteria.
Eating/drinking
the organism
Inhalation of the organism (least common)
Through open skin wounds
Slaughterhouse
& meat packing plant employees, and
hunters are at a higher risk
Direct
person-to-person spread is rare but can occur
through breast milk, and sexual contact
Brucellosis in Humans
(Undulant Fever)
Zoonotic cases mostly occur:
in
countries where animal disease control programs are
in-efficient or non existent
Countries that do not have standardized & effectie
public health & domestic animal health programs.
DO NOT EAT: un-pasturized dairy products!!!!!!!!
NO vaccine available for humans
Mortality is low (less than 2%) & is usually
associated with endocarditis.
Wear gloves when handling new animals canines &
food animals) and beware of bodily fluids!
Brucellosis in Humans
Causes a wide range of symptoms:
Fever
Sweats
Headaches
Back
pains
Physical weakness
Severe infections of the CNS or lining of the heart may
occur
Can also cause long- lasting, chronic symptoms that
include:
Recurrent
fevers, joint pain & fatigue
References
Veterinary Technician’s Daily Reference Guide: Canine and Feline. 2nd Edition (pg. 130, 256258).
Saunders Comprehensive Veterinary Dictionary 3rd Edition. (pg. 256).
http://www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/brucellosis_abortus.pdf
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/110502.htm
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp
http://www.greenlewis.com/articles/canine-brucellosis.php
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/brucellosis_in_dogs.html
http://www.infectiousdiseasenews.com/article/40915.aspx
References continued…
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http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp
http://www.greenlewis.com/articles/canine-brucellosis.php
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/brucellosis_in_dogs.html
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http://www.infectiousdiseasenews.com/article/40915.aspx
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www.peteducation.com
www.Vetinfo.com
www.Medicinenet.com
www.cfsph.iastate.edu/Factsheets/pdfs/brucellosi
s.pdf