Related articles: Brucellosis
Definition
Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria belonging to the genus Brucella . It is a zoonosis that can be transmitted to humans by certain animal species, including cattle, sheep and pigs.
The infection can occur by direct contact, through non-intact skin exposure to materials from infected animals (blood, urine or faeces), or indirectly through the ingestion of contaminated food (unpasteurized milk or dairy products, sausages or little meats) cooked). Particularly exposed to the risk of infection are some professional categories, such as veterinarians, butchers, shepherds, breeders and farmers. Brucellosis is transmitted from human to human only in rare cases.
Most common symptoms and signs *
- Anorexia
- Asthenia
- Chills
- Bromhidrosis
- Depression
- Abdominal pain
- Neck pain
- Bone pain
- Testicular pain
- Articolar pains
- Muscle pains
- Eosinophilia
- Hepatomegaly
- Temperature
- Insomnia
- hypersplenism
- Leukopenia
- lymphadenitis
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Backache
- Headache
- Mass or swelling in the testicle
- Meningitis
- Weight loss
- splenomegaly
- Sweating
Further indications
After 2-4 weeks after infection, human brucellosis suddenly manifests itself with high fever, chills, profuse sweating, headache, joint and muscle pain, loss of appetite and weakness. In some cases, the onset can be insidious, with slight general malaise and musculoskeletal pain (subacute brucellosis). Fever can take on an undulating character, therefore increases in body temperature and remissions alternate.
After the initial phase, abdominal pain, low back pain, irritability, insomnia and depression may appear. An enlarged liver and spleen may also be found; the lymph nodes may increase slightly or moderately in volume.
Patients with acute uncomplicated brucellosis generally recover within 2-3 weeks. Others, instead, proceed towards a chronic form characterized by recurrent febrile episodes, states of fatigue and pain in the joints. Possible complications of brucellosis include arthritis, meningoencephalitis, orchitis, cholecystitis, liver or kidney abscesses and osteomyelitis.
The diagnosis is based on culture (acute phase blood culture and recovery after 3 weeks) and serological tests.
Optimal therapy requires the combined administration of 2 antibiotics (doxycycline or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole plus streptomycin or rifampicin).
