brucellosis /bro̅o̅′səlō″sis/ [David Bruce, English pathologist, 1855–1931] , a disease caused by any of several species of the gram-negative coccobacillus Brucella: Brucella melitensis, B. abortus, B. suis, and B. canis, the latter of which is very rare and causes only mild illness. It is primarily a disease of animals (including cattle, pigs, sheep, camels, goats, and dogs); humans usually acquire it by ingestion of contaminated milk or milk products or raw meat or marrow, through a break in the skin, through contact with an infected animal, or through inhalation of dust from contaminated soil. Brucellosis is most prevalent in rural areas among farmers, veterinarians, meat packers, slaughterhouse workers, and livestock producers. Laboratory workers are also at risk. Also called Cyprus fever, dust fever, Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, undulant fever. See also abortus fever. ▪ OBSERVATIONS: It is characterized by fever, chills, sweating, malaise, and weakness. The fever often occurs in waves, rising in the evening and subsiding during the day, at intervals separated by periods of remission. Other signs and symptoms may include anorexia and weight loss, headache, muscle and joint pain, and an enlarged spleen, and orchiepididymitis in young men. In some victims the disease is acute; more often it is chronic, recurring over a period of months or years. ▪ INTERVENTIONS: Although brucellosis itself is rarely fatal, treatment is important because serious complications such as pneumonia, endocarditis, meningitis, and encephalitis can occur. Additionally, brucellosis can be debilitating. A combination of doxycycline and rifampin for 6 weeks is the treatment of choice. Additonally, treatments depend on the symptoms and will require intervention by many members of the health care team. ▪ PATIENT CARE CONSIDERATIONS: This organism is considered a potential agent of bioterrorism due to its low infectious dose (10-100 organisms) and method of infection by way of aerosol, allowing distribution over a large area.
