Saturday, 8 October 2011

Brucellosis

- a.k.a Malta fever
- zoonosis caused by gram negative coccobacilli which spread through untreated milk (infected cattle or goats) and raw beef
- symptoms are non specific with fever, malaise, arthralgia and depression
- hepatosplenomegaly is present
- causes spondylitis / sacro-ilitis
- leukopenia is common
- detection of brucella requires prolonged blood culture (up to 6 weeks)
- Brucella agglutination test helps confirm diagnosis
- treatment: doxycycline, rifampicin and gentamicin/cotrimoxazole for 6 weeks

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