Diagnosis Of Brucellosis Research Articles

Macrophage activation syndrome: An unusual complication of brucellosis

Introduction: During acute septicemic brucellosis, macrophage activation syndrome is a rare but serious complication. We report two cases of acute brucellosis complicated by macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective study on the medical records of patients admitted for brucellosis complicated by SAM between February 2021 and January 2023. The diagnosis of brucellosis is based on the isolation of brucellosis in blood cultures and/or on positivity serology. The SAM was retained based on Henter's diagnostic criteria. Results: During the study period, 30 patients were hospitalized for brucellosis. The average age is 46.7 years. Acute brucellosis complicated by SAM was noted in two immunocompetent male patients aged 47 and 46 years. Both patients were hospitalized for treatment of recent acute fever with deterioration in general condition, chills and diffuse arthromyalgia. The biological assessment revealed an inflammatory syndrome and pancytopenia in our patients. Blood cultures were requested returning positive for Brucella spp. Both patients presented more than five diagnostic criteria for SAM (fever, SPM, severe pancytopenia, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperferritinemia, histological signs of hemophagocytosis). Our patients improved only under antibiotic therapy. Conclusion: Macrophage activation syndrome is a described but rare complication during brucellosis.

Detection of Brucella militensis in the Serum of Patients Suspected of Brucellosis by the Omp31 Gene Amplification, Compared to the Serological Diagnostic Tests

Background and Objectives: Brucellosis is one of the most common infectious diseases with a global spread. It has a high prevalence in Iran. This study aims to diagnose brucellosis caused by Brucella melitensis in the serum of patients by the amplification of omp31 gene, compared to the serological tests. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 200 people suspected of brucellosis. The samples were evaluated by serological tests including Rose Bengal test, Wright test, Coombs-Wright test, gel agglutination test, and 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) test. DNA extraction was done by the phenol/chloroform extraction method. Molecular detection with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was done using the specific primers of the Omp31 gene. Data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 23 using the analysis of variance. Results: Of 200 patients, 122 were female and 78 were male with a mean age of 45.17±17.43 years. The results of PCR test for the omp31 gene were positive in 14.5% of cases, which was consistent with the results of serological tests (13.8%). The sensitivity of Wright, Coombs-Wright, 2ME, and gel agglutination tests, compared to PCR, was 89.7, 75.9, 55.2 and 55.2%, respectively. Most of the affected people were housekeepers (41.5%) and urban residents (75.5%). Muscle pain (68%) and leg pain (62.3%) were the most common symptoms. Consumption of non-pasteurized dairy products was the highest risk factor (17%). Conclusion: The diagnosis of brucellosis by the omp31 gene amplification has higher sensitivity and accuracy compared to the serological tests. Considering the importance of rapid and timely diagnosis of brucellosis to control its clinical complications, the molecular diagnosis method is recommended as a diagnostic method.

Unravelling key genes associated with ovine Brucellosis by differential gene expression analysis: A holistic bioinformatics study

Ovine Brucellosis, caused by Brucella ovis bacteria, is a pathognomonic reproductive infectious disease of sheep that causes epididymitis in rams (male sheep) and placental inflammation in ewes (female sheep) leading to reduced fertility. The specific molecular process that causes alterations in genome of sheep during brucellosis is not yet fully understood. This study aimed to identify key host genes associated with the pathogenesis of ovine brucellosis caused by B. ovis. The GSE35614 dataset containing six healthy and six Brucella ovis infected sample of rams in the chronic phase 2 was obtained from the NCBI GEO database to examine and detect any differences in gene expression (DEGs). Functional and pathway enrichment analyse of the DEGs were performed along with the construction of protein-protein interaction network. Next, functional modules and hub genes were clustered and identified respectively, using the MCODE plugin. As a result, a total of 316 differentially expresses genes were filtered according to the provided cut-off criteria. The enriched DEGs were related to extracellular matrix interaction, cell adhesion mediated by integrin, angiogenesis, and inflammatory response. Furthermore, the hub gene analysis resulted in five hub genes namely, FN1, FBN1, CDH1, CD44, and SPP1, were up-regulated during the infection which could lead to reproductive disorders in sheep. In conclusion, the DEGs, functional and pathways terms, along with hub genes identified in the current study can provide prospective targets for the early diagnosis and treatment of brucellosis and provide insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the alterations that occur during brucellosis in sheep.

Molecular Diagnosis and Antibodies Tests for Brucellosis Detected in Aborted and Apparently Healthy Sheep and Goats in and around Al Bayda City, Libya

The goal of the current research was to evaluate antigen and antibody reaction’s method in comparison with real time PCR for detection of brucella agent in sheep and goat. Therefore, seven hundreds and twenty-eight blood and milk samples were isolated from sheep and goats apparently healthy and suspected brucellosis brought to the Veterinary Clinical Complex from areas in and around Al Bayda, Libya. Blood samples were subjected to serological tests including Rose Bengal Plate Technique (RBPT), Enzyme-linked immunosorbent test (ELISA) for detection of IgA, IgM and also milk ring test to detect the antibodies of brucella agent. Also, the samples subjected by Real Time PCR to determine the presence of bcsp31 gene (Brucella gen). Out of the total examined samples (133) 18.26%, (139) 19.09%, (3) 0.41% and (126) 17.3% were tested positive by RBPT, ELISA IgG, IgM and Real Time PCR respectively. specificity and Sensitivity of RBPT compared with real- time PCR were 98.9% and 79.59% respectively. While, sensitivity and specificity of ELISA for IgG with Real Time PCR were 79.59% and 100% respectively, while, for ELISA IgM were 6.12% and 100% respectively. In conclusion, we suggest using Real Time PCR as a supplementary test in the diagnosis of brucella disease and as a confirmatory test in suspicious cases.

AN INTERESTING OUTCOME IN A PATIENT PRESENTING WITH AGITATION: NEUROBRUCELLOSIS

Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases worldwide. Neurobrucellosis develops within approximately 12 months after the diagnosis of brucellosis. Since the classical triad of meningitis (fever, nuchal rigidity, confusion) is rare in cases of meningitis due to brucellosis, brucellosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with unexplained neurological findings in endemic areas. In our case, a 31-year-old male patient with no history of chronic disease in his medical history was admitted to the emergency department with agitation, confusion, meaningless movements, unsteadiness in walking and blurred vision which started on the same day. In his anamnesis, it was learned that he had been treated for brucella 8 months ago in an external centre, but he did not continue his treatment regularly and did not attend the follow-up visits. LP revealed microprotein 255 mg/dL and albumin 114 mg/dL. CSF brucella agglutination was positive at a titre of 1/40. The patient was transferred to the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of neurobrucellosis. In this case report, we aimed to ensure that neurobrucellosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients presenting with atypical neurological and psychiatric symptoms, especially in regions where animal husbandry is practised.

Retrospective Evaluation of Pediatric Patients Hospitalized with Brucellosis: Single Center Study in Istanbul

Aim: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease and mainly develops as a result of consuming products of infected animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs. Material-Methods: Pediatric patients under the age of 18 who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of brucellosis in a third-level city hospital were included in the study. Serology titer ≥1:160 and/or Brucella spp in blood culture growth was determined as the diagnostic criterion for the diagnosis of brucellosis. Results: Of the 35 pediatric patients diagnosed with brucellosis, 22 were boys and 13 were girls, and the average age was determined as 154.2 ± 53.1 months (25-214). Hospital admission complaints were determined in order of frequency as follows; joint pain (51.4%), fever (31.4%), headache (17.1%) and abdominal pain (5.2%). Eleven of the patients (31.4%) had polyarthralgia and 7 (20%) had monoarthralgia. The most common physical examination findings were hepatomegaly (48.6%) and splenomegaly (40%), respectively. Joint involvement was detected in 17.1% of the patients. Sacroiliac joint involvement was reported in 3 (8.6%) patients, ankle joint involvement in 2 (5.7%) patients, and knee joint involvement in 1 (2.9%) patient. Anemia (60%) was the most common hematological finding. The average hemoglobin value was determined as 12.5±1.44 (10.2-15.9) g/dl. When patients are compared in terms of joint involvement; neutrophil count and treatment duration were found to be statistically higher in patients with joint involvement (p<0.05). Conclusion: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is endemic in our country, affects all age groups, and can cause complications and relapses, and continues to be a serious public health problem for our country.

Applying a Fluorescence Polarization Assay for Detection of Brucellosis in Animals Using the Fluorescently Labeled Synthetic Oligosaccharides as Biosensing Tracer.

Brucellosis in animals is an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. Known methods for diagnosing brucellosis face some challenges, due to the difficulties in isolating and standardizing the natural brucellosis antigen. In this work, we investigated the possibility of using the fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) with synthetic glycoconjugate biosensing tracers to detect antibodies against Brucella as a new methodology for diagnosing brucellosis. Based on the received results, the synthetic fluorescein-labeled trisaccharide tracer is most effective for Brucellosis detection. This tracer is structurally related to the immune determinant fragment of the Brucella LPS buildup of N-formyl-d-perosamine units, connected via α-(1→3)-linkage at the non-reducing end and α-(1→2)-linkage at the reducing end. The sensitivity and specificity in the case of the use of trisaccharide tracer 3b were 71% and 100% (Yuden's method) and 87% and 88% (Euclidean method), respectively, which is comparable with the diagnostic efficiency of traditionally used serological methods, such as the agglutination test (AT), complement fixation test (CFT), and Rose Bengal test (RBT). Given the known advantages of FPA (e.g., speed, compactness of the equipment, and standard reagents) and the increased specificity of the developed test system, it would be appropriate to consider its widespread use for the diagnosis of brucellosis in animals, including rapid testing in the field.

Development and Application of Colloidal Gold Test Strips for the Rapid Detection of Canine Brucellosis.

Brucellosis is a global problem, with the causative agent being the genus Brucella. B. canis can cause undulant fever in dogs, which is a zoonotic disease that can spread not only among dogs but also to humans. This poses a public health threat to society. In this study, a rapid and straightforward immune colloidal gold test strip was developed for the diagnosis of canine brucellosis through the detection of anti-LPS antibodies in serum samples. Rabbit anti-canine IgG conjugated with colloidal gold was employed as the colloidal gold-labeled antibody. The extracted high-purity R-LPS was employed as the capture antigen in the test line (T-line), while goat anti-rabbit IgG was utilized as the capture antibody in the control line (C-line). The colloidal gold strip exhibited high specificity in the detection of brucellosis, with no cross-reaction observed with the common clinical canine diseases caused by Canine coronavirus (CCV), Canine distemper virus (CDV), and Canine parvovirus (CPV). In comparison to the commercial iELISA kit, the sensitivity and specificity of the colloidal gold test strip were found to be 95.23% and 98.76%, respectively. The diagnostic coincidence rate was 98.47%. The findings of this study indicate that colloidal gold test strips may be employed as a straightforward, expeditious, sensitive, and specific diagnostic instrument for the identification of canine brucellosis, particularly in resource-limited regions.

Meta-genomic next-generation sequencing in the diagnosis of brucellosis: Five cases from a non-endemic area.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in diagnosis of human brucellosis is comparatively unexplored. This report details five human brucellosis cases diagnosed using mNGS based on Illumina sequencing platform, comprising three females and two males, four with epidemiological exposure. In cases 1 and 2, plasma mNGS results showed one positive and one negative for Brucella melitensis, and subsequent blood cultures were both positive. Cases 3, 4 and 5 involved spinal brucellosis, some with paravertebral abscesses. mNGS from infectious tissue samples successfully detected Brucella, with read counts ranging between 30 and 1314, yet cultures were negative in cases 4 and 5. Following antibiotic and surgical treatments, all patients showed clinical improvement. This report shows mNGS testing enhances the detection sensitivity of brucellosis diagnosis.

Identification of Brucella spp. in Aborted Fetuses by Guineapig inoculation

Abstract Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease which is endemic in Bangladesh. The prevalence of bovine brucellosis in subsistence management system in Bangladesh is low. However, the prevalence of bovine brucellosis at Central Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm (CCBDF) is reported to be very high and Brucella abortus DNA has also been detected from cows’ milk of this farm. The principal manifestation of bovine brucellosis is abortion in pregnant cows, which is common at CCBDF. The role of brucellosis in abortion at CCBDF has not been ascertained. Hence, this study was undertaken to confirm Brucella spp. as the etiology of abortion in cows at CCBDF. Materials and Methods: Aborted fetal membranes and vaginal swabs from 3 cows, in which late abortion occurred, were collected aseptically from the CCBDF. The samples were initially stained with modified Zeihl-Neelsen staining method. The stain-positive samples were ground individually using a pestle and mortar, and a homogenized mixture was prepared by adding normal saline. Two milliliters of the homogenate from each sample were inoculated subcutaneously into a guinea pig. The sera of guinea pigs were collected after 3rd week of inoculation to perform rose Bengal test (RBT) and rapid antibody test (RAT). Result: Samples from two cows showed positive staining result in which numerous pink-colored coccobacilli were seen. All the sera collected were tested positive for both RBT and RAT. It is evident from this study that three of two abortions at CCBDF were due to brucellosis. Conclusion: Guineapig inoculation technique could be used as a good alternative of culture for confirming the diagnosis of brucellosis from contaminated clinical samples like placenta.

Integrated Approaches of Prevention and Medicine for Dealing with Central Nervous System Brucellosis: A Case from a Non-Epidemic Area - China, 2023.

Brucellosis of the central nervous system (CNS) is rare and frequently fatal, often being overlooked or misdiagnosed. In April 2023, the Jinan CDC identified a case of CNS brucellosis in a 54-year-old woman through cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture. Upon confirming the diagnosis of brucellosis, the Jinan CDC immediately informed Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, to which the patient had been transferred, and she was subsequently tracked and successfully treated. The successful outcome can be attributed to the effective integration of a system that facilitated coordinated and collaborative actions between public health services and clinical institutions.

Obtaining and Characterization of Experimental Diagnostic Brucellosis Rabbit Sera for the Development of a National Standard for Brucellosis Serum

Relevance. The production of brucellosis diagnosticums is currently being established in the medical and veterinary practice of the Republic of Uzbekistan. However, due to the lack of a national standard serum in the country and the high cost of analog standard serums on the market, problems may arise in the production of diagnostic tools. In addition, the lack of national standard serums causes problems in quality control of commercial and local antigens, hinders the development of local drugs – brucellosis diagnostics, which reduces the effectiveness of serological diagnosis of brucellosis in humans and animals. Given the above, it becomes necessary to develop and produce a standard serum with a high level of safety, which will improve the methods of laboratory diagnosis of various forms of brucellosis in patients and animals to identify hidden foci of infection in Uzbekistan. The aim of the study is to obtain and characterize experimental standard diagnostic brucellosis rabbit sera for the development of national and industry standard serum with appropriate titers. Materials and Methods. The experiments were carried out in full compliance with the European Council Directive 2010/63/EU on compliance with ethical principles in working with laboratory animals and the experiments were carried out on the basis of the methodological manual «Methods and rules of work» approved by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2016 with laboratory animals in experimental microbiological and immunological studies. To obtain positive standard sera against brucellosis pathogens, 12 rabbits weighing from 2.2 kg to 4.6 kg, aged 6 to 12 months, were used. The animals were kept under identical conditions on a standard vivarium diet. For the experiment, animals adapted to the conditions of the study were selected and kept in quarantine for 21 days. The maintenance and conduct of the studies followed international rules for the humane treatment of animals. Results and Discussion. During the evaluation of the heterologic specificity of the obtained sera for 23 collection and hospital strains, a weakly positive response (+) was observed in 16.7% of cases. Rabbit sera positive for heterologic specificity were adsorbed on suspensions of inactivated microorganisms (Citrobacter spp. and Enterobacteriaceae spp.) - no significant drop in titer was observed, and cross-agglutination was eliminated. A significant increase in the total protein level was noted after the first and fourth immunizations. Before the first immunization, the total protein level was 59.57 g/l, and after the fourth immunization, it increased threefold to 157.17 g/l. There was also an increase in albumin and globulin (33.2 g/L and 26.37 g/L, respectively) to 79.37 g/L and 77.43 g/L, respectively. IgM levels remained almost unchanged, increasing 3.5-fold after the second immunization and decreasing to 0.24 mg/ml after the fourth immunization. An increase in the level of IgG after the second and third immunizations was revealed, followed by a decrease after the fourth immunization. Conclusion. The obtained national and industry standard diagnostic polyvalent brucellosis sera, as well as the developed methods of laboratory control of its quality and efficiency testing will make it possible to produce candidate standard serum samples for agglutination reaction test and detection of Brucella strains. The obtained standard serum samples will be further used for control of the produced immunobiological diagnostic preparations and provision of unified requirements to their quality. The goal was achieved – improving the serological diagnosis of brucellosis, laying the foundation for further study and standardization of serum.

Status of Infection during a Natural Outbreak of Brucellosis in Unvaccinated Buffaloes at a Livestock Farm of Madhya Pradesh in India by using Competitive Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay

Background: Brucellosis is one of India’s most important bacterial diseases of large ruminants. It is of economic importance. It is caused by members of the Brucella species and responsible for abortion in pregnant bovines usually during the first term and generally after the fifth month of gestation. Hence, livestock farm with a history of abortion in pregnant animals has to be investigated for Brucellosis. Methods: Whole blood samples (of 50 individual buffaloes) were collected aseptically from a herd of buffaloes experiencing a natural outbreak of Brucellosis. Extracted serum samples were tested after clarification in commercially procured competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the serological laboratory diagnosis of Brucellosis. Result: Out of 50 buffalo serum samples tested by using commercially procured competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, a total of 24 buffalo serum samples tested positive for the presence of Antibodies against Brucella species. Overall seropositivity of 48% was recorded for Brucellosis in the investigated buffalo herd experiencing a natural infection in the present study even after long-term storage of serum samples at deep freezing conditions.

New synthesis of oligosaccharides modelling the M epitope of the Brucella O-polysaccharide.

Brucellosis is a dangerous zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. Diagnosis of brucellosis is based on the detection in animal and human sera of antibodies to the O-polysaccharide of Brucella lipopolysaccharide. The currently employed serodiagnosis of brucellosis relies on the use of the Brucella O-polysaccharide as a diagnostic antigen. However, the existence of bacterial species, which also express O-polysaccharides structurally similar to that of Brucella, may decrease the specificity of the brucellosis detection due to false-positive test results. It has been shown that the efficiency of the test can be significantly improved by using synthetic oligosaccharides that correspond to the so-called M epitope of the Brucella O-antigen. This epitope is characterized by an α-(1→3)-linkage between d-perosamine units and is unique to Brucella. Here we report on an efficient approach to the synthesis of oligosaccharides that model the M epitope of the Brucella O-polysaccharide. The approach is based on the use of the α-(1→3)-linked disaccharide thioglycoside as the key donor block. Its application allowed the straightforward assembly of a set of four protected oligosaccharides, which includes a disaccharide, two trisaccharides, and a tetrasaccharide, in five glycosylation steps. The synthesized oligosaccharides are planned to be used in the development of diagnostic tools for identifying brucellosis in humans and domestic animals, as well as a potential vaccine against it.

Predictive Significance of Laboratory Tests in Bacteremic Brucellosis.

Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic infections. Although culture is the gold standard diagnostic method, bacterial growth in blood cultures may not always occur due to various factors. We aimed to investigate demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings that may have predictive significance for bacteremia in brucellosis. Patients older than 18 years of age followed up with a diagnosis of brucellosis between 2012 and 2022 were included in this retrospective multicenter study. They were divided into two main subgroups according to their Brucella species reproductive status as bacteremic and non-bacteremic. A total of 743 patients, 370 (49.80%) bacteremic and 373 (50.20%) non-bacteremic brucellosis patients, were enrolled. The mean age of the bacteremic group (36.74 years) was lower than the non-bacteremic group (43.18 yr). High fever, chills/cold, sweating, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss were more common in the bacteremic group. In the bacteremic group, white blood cell count, platelet count, hemoglobin level, mean platelet volume, eosinophil, and neutrophil counts were lower, and lymphocyte, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, and ferritin levels were higher. According to the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, when the cut-off value of ferritin was considered 67, it was the parameter with the strongest predictive significance in Brucella bacteremia. High ferritin level, low eosinophil count, and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate were determined as the most critical laboratory findings in predicting bacteremia in brucellosis.

Study on the value of second‐generation sequencing technology in the clinical diagnosis of osteoarticular brucellosis

AbstractTo assess the value of next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the diagnosis of osteoarticular brucellosis pathogenesis. Fifty eight patients admitted to the Department of Orthopaedics, Hebei Provincial Chest Hospital from January 2021 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and the patients were classified into 48 cases in the osteoarticular brucellosis group and 10 cases in the nonosteoarticular brucellosis group according to the final clinical diagnosis. All patients underwent serum agglutination test (SAT), CT‐guided puncture or surgical sampling of lesions for bacteriological culture and NGS after admission. The diagnostic efficacy of these three methods for osteoarticular brucellosis was compared using the final clinical diagnosis as the reference standard. Among the 58 patients with suspected osteoarticular brucellosis, 40 cases (68.97%) were positive by NGS, 33 cases (56.89%) by SAT and 10 cases (17.24%) by culture, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Using the final clinical diagnosis as a criterion, the sensitivity of NGS, SAT, and culture for the detection of osteoarticular brucellosis was 83.33%, 62.50%, and 20.83%, respectively, the specificity was 100.00%, 70.00%, and 100.00%, the diagnostic accuracy was 86.20%, 63.79%, and 34.49%, and the κ values were 0.799, 0.590, and 0.504, respectively. NGS has a high pathogen detection rate and sensitivity in the pathogenetic diagnosis of patients with osteoarticular brucellosis and can provide clinical guidance for the diagnosis and management of patients with osteoarticular brucellosis.

Investigation of hematologic findings related to brucellosis in Anatolian region.

To investigate the prevalence of hematologic findings and the relationship between hemogram parameters and brucellosis stages in patients. This multi-center study included patients older than 16 years of age who were followed up with a diagnosis of brucellosis. Patients' results, including white blood cell, hemoglobin, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, mean platelet volume, platelet and eosinophil counts were analyzed at the initial diagnosis. In this study 51.3% of the patients diagnosed with brucellosis were male. The age median was 45 years for female and 41 years for male. A total of 55.1% of the patients had acute brucellosis, 28.2% had subacute, 7.4% had chronic and 9% had relapse. The most common hematologic findings in brucellosis patients were anemia (25.9%), monocytosis (15.9%), eosinopenia (10.3%), and leukocytosis (7.1%). Pancytopenia occurred in 0.8% of patients and was more prominent in the acute phase. The acute brucellosis group had lower white blood cell, hemoglobin, neutrophil, eosinophil, and platelet counts and mean platelet volume, and higher monocyte counts compared to subacute and chronic subgroups. It was noteworthy that in addition to anemia and monocytosis, eosinopenia was third most prominent laboratory findings in the study. Pancytopenia and thrombocytopenia rates were low.

Brucella Seropositivity at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Chandigarh.

There are reports that the neglected zoonotic tropical disease brucellosis is reemerging today. Serological tests are being widely used in the diagnosis of brucellosis. In the present study, we performed a standard agglutination test (SAT) on 1348 suspected cases of brucellosis during the period of four years from April 2018 to March 2022. We noticed an increase in seropositivity from 2.6% in the year 2018-19 to 7.4% in the year 2021-22. We also noticed a spike in seropositivity in the years 2019-20 (12.5%). Our study shows the recent trend in seropositivity of the disease in Chandigarh and, hence, can be a meaningful addition to the existing serological diagnostic data related to brucellosis.

Indirect hemagglutination assay for diagnosing brucellosis: Past, present, and future

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes enormous losses in livestock production worldwide and has a significant public health impact. None of the brucellosis-free countries is currently able to guarantee their ability to prevent the introduction of the pathogen due to the increase in tourism and the expansion of migration. The timely identification of infected animals is an effective means of preventing brucellosis and minimizing the epidemiological risk. The tube agglutination test, Rose Bengal plate test, complement fixation test, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which are routinely used to identify seropositive productive animals, have limitations and results that do not always correlate. The indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA) stands out among non-traditional methods because it is affordable, has a simple protocol, and is more reliable than classical serological tests, especially in cases of questionable and/or false-negative results. The diagnostic value of the IHA has long been studied by laboratories in several countries, but mostly by post-soviet research teams; therefore, the results continue to be published in Russian-language journals, ensuring that the local scientific community can access the results. In addition, the efficacy of this test for the diagnosis of brucellosis and other infectious diseases has not yet been reviewed. The purpose of this review was to summarize the results of studies on the development and use of IHA for the diagnosis of brucellosis and to determine the prospects for further improvement Keywords: brucellosis, diagnostic value, indirect hemagglutination assay, prospects for improving the test, serological tests.

Sero-prevalence and risk factors associated with occurrence of anti-Brucella antibodies among slaughterhouse workers in Uganda.

Brucellosis is a febrile zoonosis occurring among high-risk groups such as livestock keepers and abattoir workers and is a public health priority in Uganda. The technical complexities of bacteriological and molecular methods make serological approaches the cornerstone of diagnosis of human brucellosis in resource limited settings. Therefore, proper application and interpretation of serological tests is central to achieve a correct diagnosis. We conducted a cross-sectional study to estimate the seroprevalence and factors associated with anti-Brucella antibodies among slaughterhouse workers processing ruminants and pigs in three regions of the country with serial testing using a combination of the Rose Bengal Test (RBT) and the BrucellaCapt test. An authorized clinician collected 543 blood samples from consenting abattoir workers as well as attribute medical and social demographic data. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine factors associated with anti-Brucella sero-positivity. The sero-prevalence among ruminant slaughterhouse workers ranged from 7.3% (95% CI: 4.8-10.7) using BrucellaCapt to 9.0% (95% CI: 6.3-12.7) using RBT. Slaughterhouse workers from the Eastern regions (AOR = 9.84, 95%CI 2.27-69.2, p = 0.006) and those who graze animals for alternative income (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.91-6.63, p = 0.040) were at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Similarly, those who wore Personal Protective Equipment (AOR = 4.83, 95%CI:1.63-18.0, p = 0.009) and those who slaughter cattle (AOR = 2.12, 95%CI: 1.25-6.0, p = 0.006) were at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Those who slaughter small ruminants (AOR = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.32-4.01, p = 0.048) were also at a higher risk of exposure to Brucella. Our study demonstrates the combined practical application of the RBT and BrucellaCapt in the diagnosis of human brucellosis in endemic settings. Both pharmaceutical (e.g., routine testing and timely therapeutic intervention), and non-pharmaceutical (e.g., higher index of suspicion of brucellosis when investigating fevers of unknown origin and observation of strict abattoir hygiene) countermeasures should be considered for control of the disease in high-risk groups.