Overview of human and animal brucellosis in Nigeria and its economic impacts on production

Brucellosis is a wide spread zoonotic bacterial disease of humans and animals. In humans the disease is recognized commonly as undulant fever, characterized by headache malaise, and arthritis. Brucellosis can occur in any age group, but mainly found in young men between the ages of 20 and 40 years because of occupational hazards. Domestic animals (cattle, sheep and goat, pigs, dogs etc) are highly susceptible to brucellosis. Generally, brucellosis manifest in female animals as abortion, retained placenta, stillbirth and death of young ones soon after birth. In males, the main features are vesiculitis, orchitis, and epididymitis, which may render infected male infertile for life. The endemicity of brucellosis has remained a threat in low- income countries of sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and has multiple economic implications across agriculture and public health sectors, and broader implications on economic and social development sectors. Google and Google Scholar were used to retrieve articles used for this review, which included published research articles and local, national and international reports on brucellosis. In this review, we summarised human and animal brucellosis, prevalence of infections in Nigeria, and economic impacts on production. It is believed that this review will guide researchers on the state of brucellosis in developing countries where the disease is still endemic, using Nigeria as a case study.

Human Brucellosis in Khartoum State: a Commonly Underdiagnosed Disease

Back ground: Human brucellosis is a major debilitating zoonotic disease. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella Methods: The serum antibody titres to Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus of one thousand febrile patients; randomly selected from Khartoum; Khartoum North and Omdurman Teaching Hospitals; were estimated by the STAT. Results: Eighty nine (8.9) of the febrile patients had brucellosis. The average age of brucellosis patient was 43.9 years. Sixty three (70.8) of the brucellosis patients were males; and 26 (29.2) were females. Fifty four (60.7) of them had significant titres to Brucella melitensis while 23 (25.8) patients had significant titres to Brucella abortus. Twelve (13.5) patients had significant titres to both Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus. The average diagnostic delay of brucellosis in this study was 88.6 days. Conclusion: Brucellosis was found to be misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid fever. Animal contact was found to be a significant risk factor

Seroprevalence de la brucellose humaine a Mopti; Mali

Nous avons evalue la seroprevalence de la brucellose humaine dans une population de patients dans la principale clinique de la ville de Mopti. La technique CROMATEST du serodiagnostic de Wright a ete utilisee. Un total de 150 serums ont ete testes pour des anticorps contre Brucella spp. La seroprevalence de B melitensis etait de 58(87/150) et de B. abortus de 49(74/150). Le syndrome sudoro-algique etait significativement associe a la seropositivite. La tranche d'age de 25-26 ans etait plus frequente avec des extremes allant de 5 a 70 ans. Les femmes de menage; les commercants et les bouchers etaient les classes socioprofessionnelles predominantes. Le contact avec les animaux domestiques et la brucella

Brucellosis in Arusha and Manyara Regions; Tanzania: A Challenge to Public Health

Setting: Karatu; Ngorongoro; Babati; Mbulu and Hanang districts in Arusha and Manyara regions; Tanzania. Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted in Karatu; Ngorongoro; Babati; Hanang and Mbulu districts in Arusha and Manyara regions between July and September 2002. Review of Hospital records and interview with district medical officers; hospital Incharge and clinicians were conducted.Results: Out 170;345 patients who attended hospitals in Babati; Dareda; Karatu; Hydom; Katesh; Wasso; Endulen and Mbulu hospitals in the year 2001; 619(0.36) were diagnosed as having brucellosis. It was found out that women suffer from brucellosis more than males. Out of 619 cases of brucellosis reported in the year 2001; 432 (69.8) were females and 187(30.2) were males. Most of the patients were of the age between 16-35 (46.3) i.e. after school age compared to the middle aged 36-50 (30.4). Few cases were found in the pre school age (7 years); school age (7-15) and old age (50 years) Conclusion There is a need to carry out a study that will establish the burden caused by brucellosis in the area. This should also include investigating the relationship between infection in animals and that in humans. There is also a need to investigate the burden of the disease to the community as well and not only to those who attend hospitals. Factors that favor acquisition of brucellosis to animals and subsequent transmission to humans must be explored and pointed out clearly so that the communities can be made aware of and hence minimize the chances for transmission of brucellosis

Seroprevalences des maladies zoonotiques chez les pasteurs nomades et leurs animaux dans le Chari-Baguirmi du Tchad

The sero p revalences of brucellosis and Q-fever we re eva l u ated in humans and live s t o ck in three Chadian nomadic commu n i t i e s ; i . e. ; Fulani cattle bre e d e rs and A rab camel and cattle bre e d e rs. The survey was carried out in 1999 and 2000. The total number of human sera and animal sera tested were 911 and 1 637; respectively; for antibodies against Brucella spp. and 368 and 613; respectively; for Coxiella burnetii. Sixteen brucellosis positive human sera resulted in a seroprevelance rate of 2. Male participants were significantly more often brucellosis seropositive than females. No association was found between brucellosis serostatus and physical findings or reported symptoms. Positive brucellosis serology was more frequent in c attle (seropreva l e n c e;7) than in camels (1.4) and small ruminants (0.5). Fifteen human sera from 11 A rab camel bre eders and 4 Arab cattle breeders were positive for Q-fever (seroprevalence below 1). Being a camel breeder was a significant risk factor for Q-fever seropositivity. Camels had the highest Q-fever seroprevalence (73) among livestock species

Study of Brucellosis in a Pastoral Community and Evaluation of the Usefulness of Clinical Signs and Symptoms in Differentiating it from other Flu-Like Diseases

A study of differentials causing flu-like symptoms (malaria; typhoid; streptococcal infections and rheumatoid arthritis) in 488 patients from a pastoralist area is presented. The potential usefulness of clinical signs; symptoms and diagnostic tests in ruling-in or ruling-out these diseases was investigated in the District hospital and three outlying health dispensaries. For each patient a detailed clinical history plus diagnostic test for brucellosis; typhoid; streptococcal infections and rheumatoid arthritis; and for some patients malaria were conducted. Incidence levels of these diseases were estimated using laboratory test results; brucellosis; 13; typhoid; 40: streptococcal infections; 6malaria; 9: and rheumatoid arthritis; 10. Brucellosis could not be differentiated clinically from the other flu-like diseases but rheumatoid arthritis could

Serological detection of brucellosis among febrile, malaria-negative children and domesticated dogs in an urban African setting

Background: Childhood brucellosis and malaria are co-endemic febrile illnesses in some sub-Saharan African countries. Malaria and brucellosis co-infection or brucellosis sole infections are often missed due to an over emphasis on malaria and the lack of appropriate diagnostic infrastructure. Brucellosis in dogs is usually overlooked and yet there is extensive contact between humans and their pets.Objective: This study investigated brucellosis in children and dogs using a confirmatory serological testing series that screens for three Brucella sp.Methods: Residual blood samples from malaria smear-negative febrile children were collected and tested for Brucella sp and malaria parasite. During the same period, residual blood samples presented to a veterinary microbiology laboratory in the same area were tested for brucellosis using the same approach.Results: A total of 105 human and 80 canine blood samples were tested for brucellosis antibodies. The seroprevalence of brucellosis was 22.86% (25/105) in children and 1.3% (1/80) in dogs using the Card, buffered acidified plate antigen, and standard plate agglutination tests but was 0% using the rivanol precipitation plate agglutination test.Conclusion: Given that brucellosis can be caused by both smooth and rough colony strains, there is a need to modify the current serological surveillance strategy (targeted at only Brucella abortus and other smooth colony Brucella strains) to figure out the relative contribution of rough colony Brucella strains (B. ovis and B. canis). Since Uganda is endemic for brucellosis there is a need to modify the brucellosis surveillance strategy