REVIEW ARTICLE
Year : 2013  |  Volume : 6  |  Issue : 4  |  Page : 350-358

Human Brucellosis: Are we neglecting an enemy at the backyard?


1 Department of Microbiology & Head Central Clinical Laboratory, Padmashree Dr D Y Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr D Y Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune, India
2 Department of Head of Pharmacology, B.J. Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Correspondence Address:
Dakshayani P Pandit
Professor Microbiology, Head of CCL, Padmashree Dr. D Y Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune - 18, Maharashtra
India
Login to access the Email id

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/0975-2870.118265

Rights and Permissions

Brucellosis is infection of animals caused by organisms of the genus brucella. Many animal species are affected but domestic pets are the most common source of infection to man. Human brucellosis is a zoonotic disease of worldwide distribution. It is prevalent in developing countries where humans and animals live in close proximity. Prevalence in humans is directly proportional to animal disease. Animal handlers are specifically more susceptible due to their occupation. It is associated with lot of morbidity and loss of man days. Vaccination is the most important method for prevention of animal brucellosis. Control of animal brucellosis is influenced by various factors and hence, prevalence keeps on changing. Animal brucellosis is highly prevalent in many states of India. There is no collaboration between the veterinarians and the clinicians. Lack of awareness among clinicians, low index of suspicion and sometimes non availability of diagnostic tests can lead to missed diagnosis. Brucellosis is characterized by protean clinical manifestations though it commonly presents as pyrexia of unknown origin or osteoarticular disease. Other manifestations include glomerulonephritis, pneumonitis, encephalitis and hepatitis. The diagnosis can be established by blood culture and/or serology. The disease is easily treatable and completely curable, but failure to diagnose leads to non institution of appropriate treatment. This leads to chronic morbidity adding to the patient's misery. High index of suspicion, prompt diagnosis, appropriate and adequate treatment can cure the patient, prevent chronic morbidity, and loss of many days. This review aims to review the global and Indian scenario of brucellosis and increase awareness amongst the clinicians.


[FULL TEXT] [PDF]*
Print this article     Email this article
 Next article
 Previous article
 Table of Contents

 Similar in PUBMED
   Search Pubmed for
   Search in Google Scholar for
 Related articles
 Citation Manager
 Access Statistics
 Reader Comments
 Email Alert *
 Add to My List *
 * Requires registration (Free)
 

 Article Access Statistics
    Viewed11044    
    Printed216    
    Emailed2    
    PDF Downloaded2300    
    Comments [Add]    
    Cited by others 11    

Recommend this journal