Assays for Identification and Differentiation of Brucella Species: A Review

Abstract

Brucellosis is one of the most important and widespread bacterial zoonoses worldwide. Cases are reported annually across the range of known infectious species of the genus Brucella. Globally, Brucella melitensis, primarily hosted by domestic sheep and goats, affects large proportions of livestock herds, and frequently spills over into humans. While some species, such as Brucella abortus, are well controlled in livestock in areas of North America, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem supports the species in native wild ungulates with occasional spillover to livestock. Elsewhere in North America, other Brucella species still infect domestic dogs and feral swine, with some associated human cases. Brucella spp. patterns vary across space globally with B. abortus and B. melitensis the most important for livestock control. A myriad of other species within the genus infect a wide range of marine mammals, wildlife, rodents, and even frogs. Infection in humans from these others varies with geography and bacterial species. Control in humans is primarily achieved through livestock vaccination and culling and requires accurate and rapid species confirmation; vaccination is Brucella spp.-specific and typically targets single livestock species for distribution. Traditional bacteriology methods are slow (some media can take up to 21 days for bacterial growth) and often lack the specificity of molecular techniques. Here, we summarize the molecular techniques for confirming and identifying specific Brucella species and provide recommendations for selecting the appropriate methods based on need, sensitivity, and laboratory capabilities/technology. As vaccination/culling approaches are costly and logistically challenging, proper diagnostics and species identification are critical tools for targeting surveillance and control.

Subacute brucellosis: A case report

“…Вместе с тем сочетание лимфаденопатии, гепатоспленомегалии, длительной лихорадки, артралгий позволяли предположить у больного течение бруцеллёза и назначить специфическое обследование. Существуют объективные трудности лабораторной диагностики бруцеллёза [10,11], однако в течение полугода пациенту не были назначены даже рутинные анализы для диагностики данного заболевания. Более внимательные сбор и оценка данных эпидемиологического анамнеза (пациент прибыл из эндемичного по бруцеллёзу региона [12], пил сырое козье молоко) позволили бы значительно ускорить постановку диагноза и раньше назначить адекватную терапию.…”

Minimum Core Genome Sequence Typing of Brucella From China

“…23 Several other molecular studies suggested the close relationship among different biovars and the difficulty in differentiating B. canis from B. suis. [24][25][26][27] Recently, a new multiplex PCR assay accurately identified B. suis at the biovar level and differentiated B. suis from B. canis. 28 Whole-genome analysis indicated that B. canis had arisen directly from B. suis based on a high similarity between the genomes of these two species.…”

Milk Borne Brucellosis

“…Roughly 120 species of marine animals either exclusively inhabit maritime environments or are heavily reliant on marine resources for survival. These animals include pinnipeds (true seals, eared seals, and walruses) [49]; cetaceans (which contain two suborders: Mysticeti (baleen whales) [50] and Odontoceti (toothed whales, which includes dolphins and porpoises) [51]; polar bear (Ursusmaritimus) [52]; sirenians (manatees and dugong) [53]; and several species of otters [10].…”

“…Even though brucellosis seldom poses a threat to human life, it is widely seen as a burden for the economy and public health, notably in the Middle East, Mediterranean region, North and East Africa, Southern and Central Asia, India, Central, and South America. According to the European Food Safety Authority, brucellosis incidence rates in developed countries range from 0.3 cases per million per year to over 1000 cases per million in endemic regions [9,10].…”