Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Brucella. The bacteria can spread from animals to humans.
There are several different strains of Brucella bacteria. Some types are seen in cows. Others occur in dogs, pigs, sheep, goats, and camels.
The bacteria can enter your body:
•Through a cut or scratch in the skin
•When you breathe in contaminated air (rare)
•When you eat or drink something contaminated with the bacteria, such as unpasteurized milk or undercooked meat
General symptoms of brucellosis are often vague and similar to the flu. They may include:
•Fever (the most common symptom, with high "spikes" that usually occur in the afternoon)
• Back pain
•Body-wide aches and pains
•Poor appetite and weight loss
• Headache
• Night sweats
• Weakness
•Abdominal pain
•Cough
You are more likely to get brucellosis if you:
•Eat or drink unpasteurized dairy products from cows, goats, or other animals that are infected with the bacteria
•Eat other unpasteurized cheeses called "village cheeses." These come from high-risk regions, including the Mediterranean
•Travel to areas where Brucella is common
•Work in a meat-processing plant or slaughterhouse
•Work on a farm
Brucellosis can be difficult to treat. If you have brucellosis, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics. Antibiotics commonly used to treat brucellosis include:
•doxycycline
• streptomycin
•ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin
• rifampin
•bactrim
• tetracycline
You will generally be given doxycycline and rifampin a in combination for 6-8 weeks.
