Zoonosis: Brucellosis in Animals and Humans
Introduction
By Hannah Wedig
Brucellosis is among the most common and highly contagious zoonoses. Zoonoses are diseases which can be transmitted from animals to humans. [1] In the case of brucellosis, mammals – domestic, wild, terrestrial, and marine – are capable of transmitting the disease. [1] [2] Brucellosis is caused by certain species of bacteria in the genus Brucella, the most common and virulent of which are B. melitensis, B. suis, and B. abortus (Figure 1). [3] [4] The genus Brucella is within the class α-Proteobacteria, which includes many bacterial parasites of both plants and animals. [5]
All Brucella are miniscule (≈ 0.5µm-1.5µm in diameter), sessile, Gram-negative coccobacilli, and are facultative intracellular pathogens (Figure 2). [7] [3] When cultured, Brucella colonies appear either smooth or rough. Smooth colonies are more common in the virulent species of Brucella (e.g. B. melitensis, suis, and abortus), and rough colonies are associated with non-virulent species. The rough morphotype is attributed to a lipopolysaccharide molecule that elicits strong immune responses in animals, which may explain why it is associated with the non-virulent species. [8]
Brucella are capable of surviving, but rarely reproduce, in external environments for well over a year given the appropriate conditions. Cite error: Closing </ref>
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[9]]] Bourne, D. “Brucella melitensis.” Brucella melitensis (Bacterial Type). Twycross Zoo, n.d. Web.</ref> They fare best in environments with a pH greater than 5.5, high humidity, and, most especially, freezing temperatures [10] [11] In animals, Brucella can be found all over the globe, with notably high occurrences in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.[10] The highest incidences of Brucella in humans are recorded in Syria and Mongolia (Figure 3) [12]
The first concrete documentation of brucellosis symptoms in humans occurred in the 1850’s when a British Army surgeon, Dr. Jeffrey Marston, described a fever he had, the symptoms of which differed from any other known fever at the time. [6] [13]
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Seleem, M. N., Boyle, S. M., Sriranganathan, N. 2010. Brucellosis: A re-emerging zoonosis. Veterinary Microbiology 140:392–398.
- ↑ Taleski, V., Zerva, L., Kantardijev, T., Cvetnic, Z., Erski-Biljic, M. et al. 2002. An overview of the epidemiology and epizootiology of brucellosis in selected countries of Central and Southeast Europe. Veterinary Microbiology 90:147–155.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Hagan, W. A., Bruner, W. D. Hagan and Bruner’s Microbiology and Infectious Diseases of Domestic Animals: With Reference to Etiology, Epizootiology, Pathogenesis, Immunity, Diagnosis, and Antimicrobial Susceptibility. Ithaca: Comstock Publ., 1992. Print.
- ↑ Young, E. J., M.D. “Brucella species (Brucellosis).” Infectious Disease and Antimicrobial Agents. Antimicrobe, 2014 Web.
- ↑ Moreno, E. and Moriyon, I. 2002. Brucella melitensis: A nasty bug with hidden credentials for virulence. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 99:1–3.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Moreno, E. 2014. Retrospective and prospective perspectives on zoonotic brucellosis. Front Microbiol., 5:1–18.
- ↑ Godfroid, J., Garin-Bastuji, B., Saegerman, C., Blasco, J. M. 2013. Brucellosis in terrestrial wildlife. Rev. sci. tech. Off. int. Epiz., 32:27–42.
- ↑ Schurig, G. G., Sriranganathan, N., Corbel, M. J. 2002. Brucellosis vaccines: past, present and future. Veterinary Microbiology, 90:479–496.
- ↑ Brucellosis in terrestrial wildlife. 2013. Godfroid, J., Garin-Bastuji, B., Saegerman, C., Blasco, J. M. Rev. sci. tech. Off. int. Epiz. 32 (1): 27-42
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Bourne, D. “Brucella melitensis.” Brucella melitensis (Bacterial Type). Twycross Zoo, n.d. Web.
- ↑ Bourne, D. “Brucella abortus.” Brucella abortus (Bacterial Type). Twycross Zoo, n.d. Web.
- ↑ Ariza, J., Bosilkovski, M., Cascio, A., Colmenero, J. D., Corbel, M. J., Falagas, M. E., et al. 2007. Perspectives for the Treatment of Brucellosis in the 21st Century: The Ioannina Recommendations. PLoS Med 4(12):317.
- ↑ Wyatt, H. V. 2013. Lessons from the history of brucellosis. Rev. sci. tech. Off. int. Epiz., 32:17–25.
- ↑ Ariza, J., Bosilkovski, M., Cascio, A., Colmenero, J. D. et al. "Perspectives for the Treatment of Brucellosis in the 21st Century: The Ioannina Recommendations." 2008. PLoS Med 4(12): e317
- ↑ Hodgkin, J. and Partridge, F.A. "Caenorhabditis elegans meets microsporidia: the nematode killers from Paris." 2008. PLoS Biology 6:2634-2637.
- ↑ Bartlett et al.: Oncolytic viruses as therapeutic cancer vaccines. Molecular Cancer 2013 12:103.
Authored for BIOL 238 Microbiology, taught by Joan Slonczewski, 2017, Kenyon College.