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 melitensis
Introduction
Brucella melitensis is one of the species of bacteria that cause brucellosis, a disease affecting sheep, cattle, and sometimes humans. It is primarily considered to be associated with caprine brucellosis, but is also found in sheep. It causes reproductive disease such as orchitis, epididymitis, mastitis, and abortions. It is zoonotic, unlike Brucella ovis, causing Malta fever or localized brucellosis in humans.
![Bacterium Brucella melitensis. From Public Health Image Library (PHIL). [1]](https://www.wikidoc.org/index.php/File%3ABrucellosis13.jpeg)