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Cause:
Bacteria in the genus
Brucella.
Illness and treatment:
Symptoms include
fever, profuse sweating, fatigue, loss of appetite, chills,
weight loss, headache, and joint pain. Treatment is with
antibiotics.
Sources:
Infection results from
contact through breaks in the skin with animal tissues
(particularly placentas or aborted fetuses) and animal
fluids, or by consuming unpasteurized dairy products from
infected species (mainly cattle, goats, sheep and swine) in
endemic countries. Airborne infection can occur in
laboratories. Prior to 1996, strains of Brucella used
in animal vaccine had a greater risk for causing disease in
humans if unintentionally injected.
Prevention:
Avoid
unpasteurized dairy foods.
Veterinarians, farmers and hunters should wear gloves when
handling sick or dead animals or when assisting an animal
giving birth. Laboratory workers should handle all specimens
under appropriate biosafety conditions.
Recent Washington trends:
Although
brucellosis has been eradicated from cattle in the state
since 1988, there are 0 to 3 reports of human brucellosis
infections each year, primarily due to consumption of raw
dairy products in foreign countries.
2008:
One person was diagnosed
with brucellosis after eating unpasteurized cheese in
Mexico.
Purpose of Reporting and
Surveillance
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To assist in the diagnosis and
treatment of cases
-
To identify potentially exposed
health care and laboratory personnel and to provide
counseling
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To identify sources of transmission
(e.g., an infected animal or a contaminated unpasteurized
dairy product) and to prevent further transmission from such
sources
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To raise the index of suspicion of a
possible bioterrorism event if no natural exposure source is
identified
Legal Reporting Requirements
Last
update
November 2009
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