Brucellosis Outbreak in China

Brucellosis disease, also known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever, is a bacterial infection that spreads from animals to humans.
Breathing in the bacteria that cause brucellosis can also lead to the infection.
Thousands of people in northwest China tested positive for a bacterial infection.
It is an infectious disease caused by a group of bacteria from the genus Brucella. These bacteria can infect both humans and animals – such as sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, and dogs, etc.

The signs and symptoms of brucellosis disease may include:

How do people get Brucellosis disease?

Eating or drinking unpasteurized/raw dairy products is the most common way to be infected with bacteria.
But the bacteria that causes brucellosis can also be spread through the air or direct contact with infected animals.
These bacteria can enter the body through open wounds or mucous membranes.
Brucellosis disease is more common in some parts of the world where people are more likely to consume unpasteurized goat cheese, sometimes called village cheese

Complications of Brucellosis disease

The infection can affect almost all parts of the body – such as the heart, liver, central nervous system, and the reproductive system.
Health experts said one of the serious complications due to the disease can result in inflammed testicles, leading to infertility in men.
Other possible side effects of brucellosis include – arthritis, endocarditis (infection of the heart’s inner lining), encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around your brain), etc.
The mortality rate for brucellosis is about 2 per cent.

Treatment and prevention

Brucellosis disease is usually treated with antibiotics, including rifampin and doxycycline.
Recovery from the illness may take a few weeks to several months, depending on the timing of treatment and severity of the infection.