Brucella

• Disease in a large herd of pure-bred swine occurred over the past year due to Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis, or any of the above.
• Failure to settle: infected gilts and sows came back into heat 4-8 weeks after breeding, presumably due to abortions occurring early and unnoticed.
• Brucella abortus and Brucella suis are commonly occupational infections.
• Brucella is a zoonotic pathogen with potential to cause disease in humans.
• Tetracyclines, Gentamycin, Rifampicin are effectively used in human beings as combination therapy; ciprofloxacin is popular.
• Symptoms of Brucella infection in humans include lethargy, chills, malaise, night sweating, and fever, which is typically intermittent.
• Brucella melitensis often affects the general population through ingestion of goat milk, cheese, or dairy products.
• Abortion and weak pigs: Abortions occurred at any stage of pregnancy.
• Birth of stillborn or weak pigs was also common.
• After sows aborted, future litters were normal.
• Lameness: Many animals had stiff joints with swelling and posterior paralysis.
• Reproductive failure: Some boars became sterile and sows infertile.
• The disease may be caused by Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis, or any of the above.
• A 2-yr old 40-lb male Poodle had 5 episodes of acute spinal pain and posterior weakness, which improved more slowly after each succeeding attack.
• There was pain on palpation of the right humerus and left femur.
• Radiographs of the long bones were normal, but there was a radiolucent area with a sclerotic margin involving L2 and L3 and the interposed disk space.
• Following decompression hemilaminectomy, histological examination of the material curetted from the disc and vertebrae revealed predominately cartilagenous tissue, some of which was osteoid and contained a foci of neutrophils.
• The dog was given streptomycin and penicillin for 5 days post-operation.
• Brucella was cultured from bone chips, and tetracycline was added orally for 30 days.
• Serological diagnosis of abortion includes ELISA, which is very sensitive and specific.
• Serology-based on LPS O-antigen is used in abortion diagnosis.
• Complement fixation test is more sensitive and specific in abortion diagnosis.
• PCR test can be used in abortion diagnosis and can differentiate between nomenspecies.
• Vaccination with Strain RB51 is recommended at 4-12 months of age and protects 85-90% of vaccinated animals.
• Immunology of abortion involves humoral antibody response, which does not correlate with protection.
• Laboratory diagnosis of abortion involves culture, which may need to be sent to a reference lab or Laboratory Response Network lab with BSL-3 facilities.
• Antibodies may enhance cellular uptake as opsonins in abortion immunology.
• Abortion causes granulomatous lesions in immunology.
• Vaccination with Strain 19 is recommended at 4-12 months of age and protects 65-70% of vaccinated animals.
• Genital secretion, milk, blood, spleen, liver, udder, and lymph nodes can be tested for abortion.
• Abortion is a disease that occurs after the 5th month of pregnancy and is usually only seen during the first pregnancy.
• Following infection, animals are protected in abortion immunology.
• Abortion is a disease that affects 20% of animals and they often abort more than once.
• Turbid abomasal contents are a characteristic of abortion.
• Abortion can cause abortion.
• Strain RB51 is an attenuated, viable strain with no LPS O-antigen and is used in vaccination.
• The fetus in abortion is edematous and there is blood tinged fluid in body cavities.
• Tube agglutination test is a serological test used in abortion diagnosis.
• Cell mediated immunity is the principal protective immune response in abortion immunology.
• Antibodies may act as blocking antibodies and prevent complement-mediated lysis in abortion immunology.