This disease has more than six names and comes from animals
Name
Brucellosis, also known as Malta fever, Bang’s disease, Crimean fever, Gibraltar fever, Mediterranean fever, and rock fever
Transmission
- A bacterial infection that mainly affects sheep, cattle, pigs, goats, and dogs
- Humans can contract the disease in several ways:
- Inhaling the airborne bacteria
- Bacteria entering the body through skin wounds when having direct contact with infected animals (hunters, veterinarians, butchers, and people who work with livestock are especially at risk)
- Eating or drinking infected meat or animal products such as unpasteurized/raw milk and cheese (this is the main way people become infected)
- Person-to-person transmission is rare but can occur through sexual transmission and breast feeding
Geography
Worldwide
Incubation Period
2 – 4 weeks after infection
Signs and Symptoms
Initial symptoms include:
- Headache
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Muscle pain
- Joint pain
- Anorexia
- Sweats
Additional symptoms that can persist or go away and return:
- Recurrent fevers
- Depression
- Arthritis
- Chronic fatigue
- Swollen liver or spleen
- Swollen heart
- Swollen testicles
Diagnosis
Laboratory testing of blood, bone marrow, or other body fluids to detect bacteria and/or its antibodies
Treatment
Once diagnosed, antibiotics are prescribed for 6 – 8 weeks
Prognosis
- Recovery may take a few weeks to several months
- Death is rare, occurring in no more than 2% of all cases
Prevention: What Can You Do?
- Only drink and eat pasteurized dairy products such as milk and cheese
- Never eat undercooked meat
- Animals can be vaccinated against the disease
Brucellosis In the News
Sources:
http://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/
http://www.who.int/topics/brucellosis/en/