Brucellosis
What is it?
Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that spreads from animals to people. Usually people are infected by eating raw or unpasteurized dairy products. Avoiding raw dairy products and taking precautions when working with animals or in a laboratory can help prevent brucellosis.
Additional names
This group contains additional names:
- Brucella infection
- Brucella
Signs & symptoms
Signs and symptoms are similar to those of the flu and include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Loss of appetite
- Sweats
- Weakness
- Joint, muscle and back pain
- Headache
Brucellosis symptoms may disappear for weeks or months and then return.
Diagnosis
The first thing to do to diagnose brucellosis is a good anamnesis and physical examination. Doctors usually confirm a diagnosis of brucellosis by testing blood or bone marrow for the brucella bacteria. To help detect complications of brucellosis, your doctor may order additional tests, including:
- X-rays
- CT or MRI
- Cerebrospinal fluid culture
- Echocardiography
Treatment
Treatment for brucellosis aims to relieve symptoms. A person need to take antibiotics for six weeks. The disease may also return and become chronic.
☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.
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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:
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