Brucella Infections

Brucella infection, also known as brucellosis, undulant fever, and Malta fever (in humans), or Bang’s disease (in cattle), is an acute systemic zoonotic disease caused by Brucella species.The disease is characterized in humans by either a continued, intermittent, or irregular fever that can persist for days, or for up to years if it is not properly treated Borbel (1997), Sauret and Vilissova (2002). Various Brucella species infect a variety of ruminant animals with humans infected by contact with them or animal products that contaminated by these species. The U. S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been working cooperatively with the livestock industries and state animal health authorities to eradicate brucellosis from the United States (USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Bovine Brucellosis Eradication Program). As of March 1, 2002, 48 states have achieved brucellosis-free status with no known infections. At the present time, the only known focus of Brucella infection left in the United States is in bison and elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area (www.aphis.usda. gov). The annual number of human cases of Brucella infection reported to the CDC is approximately 100 CDC (2003). The small number of cases in humans is directly associated with the control of disease in the animal population. Although brucellosis is controlled in the United States, it remains common in countries lacking standardized and effective public health and domestic animal health programs. Geographical regions currently listed as high risk are the Mediterranean Basin (Portugal, Spain, Southern France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and North Africa), South and Central America, Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and the Middle East Boschiroli et al (2001). Brucella species are classified as overlap select agents by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services HHS et al (2002). These agents are considered the most likely to be used in biological warfare against the United States or in other criminal acts Chang et al (2003). The ability to possess, transfer, and use this organism is strictly regulated by federal law (DHHS regulation 42 CFR Part 73 and USDA regulation 7 CFR Part 331 and 9 CFR Part 121). Clinical laboratories are required to report all positive Brucella species results directly to the US DHHS and must have documentation regarding the disposal or transfer of materials containing certain agents.