Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Brucella
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Human brucellosis is caused by four Brucellae species: B. abortus, B. canis, B. melitensis, and B. suis.[1]
Causes
Causes
- Brucella is a genus of gram-negative bacteria.[2]They are small (0.5 to 0.7 by 0.6 to 1.5 µm), non-motile and encapsulated coccobacilli.
Brucella species
Brucella species have been found primarily in mammals. [3] Brucellla species, with their host and degree of virulence is described below:[4]
| Species | Host | Human Virulence |
|---|---|---|
| B. melitensis | Goats, sheep, cattle, buffaloes, dogs and camels | ++++ |
| B. abortus | Cattle, buffaloes, bison, dogs, elk, and horses | ++/+++ |
| B. canis | Dogs | + |
| B. suis | Pigs and sheep | + |
| B. ovis | Sheep | – |
Tests to differentiate brucella species
Following tests may be used to differentiate between the different species of brucella.[5]
| Test | B. melitensis | B. abortus | B. suis | B. ovis | B. canis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Need to CO2 | – | + | – | + | – |
| Production of H2S | – | + | + | – | – |
| Growth on basic fushin 0.002% | + | + | – | + | – |
| Growth on thionin 0.004% | – | – | + | + | + |
| Growth on thionin 0.002% | + | – | + | + | + |
| Destroy with Tb phage | – | + | – | – | – |
References
References
- ↑ “WHO” (PDF).
- ↑ Ryan KJ, Ray CG (editors) (2004). Sherris Medical Microbiology (4th ed. ed.). McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-8385-8529-9.
- ↑ Pappas G, Akritidis N, Bosilkovski M, Tsianos E (2005). “Brucellosis”. N Engl J Med. 352 (22): 2325–36. doi:10.1056/NEJMra050570. PMID 15930423.
- ↑ “WHO” (PDF).
- ↑ “WHO” (PDF).
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Danitza Lukac, Vishal Devarkonda, M.B.B.S[2]