Brucella microbes usually infect the reproductive organs of animals. These drop along with urine or milk into soil and are transmitted to humans when animal products like cow or buffalo milk or cheese are eaten. They also pass to humans through direct contamination by contact of an infected dog’s or cow’s urine or if there is a direct touching of a contaminated dog or any other infected pet when a human has any cut or wound. Also termed Bang’s disease, Mediterranean fever, Crimean fever, or Malta fever, this bacterial infection is caused by direct or indirect touch with infected domestic or farm animals or their products. If you have a dog, be alert about the symptoms of a brucellosis infection for both your dog and yourself. Sweating, undulating fever, fatigue, joint and muscle pain are some major symptoms exhibited by humans suffering from brucellosis.
Causes of Brucellosis
Brucella infection may be caused by direct or indirect human to animal contact with the diseased animals such as goats, cows, or dogs.
- In case of the brucella bacteria infecting your pet dogs or any other domestic animals, any cut in your body can make you susceptible to the infection. This infection can also be transferred to humans via direct inhalation of air that may have bacterial spores from an infected dog or farm animals.
- Brucellosis also can be transmitted indirectly through milk, cheese, or raw and improperly cooked meat from an infected animal. Humans succumbing to the Mediterranean fever mainly contract the disease through the indirect means.
Symptoms of Brucellosis
The symptoms of Malta fever can be mild or severe and long-term for the infected human, based on the level of infection. Primary symptoms of brucellosis include fever, fatigue, joint pain, weakness, depression, or headaches.
Humans are more likely to contract the infection and symptoms of Mediterranean fever if they eat unpasteurized meat. Humans working in animal farms and humans who keep dogs or any other domestic animals at home are more likely to get symptoms of this infection.
Treatments for Brucellosis
- The infection passed from animals to humans and antibiotics like tetracycline, gentamicin, or rifampicin can treat the symptoms of brucellosis.
- Intramuscular injections of 1 gram of streptomycin antibiotic for 14 days in infected adults and 100 milligrams of oral drug doxycycline twice a day for one and a half months are considered among the best treatment for Brucellosis.
Preventive Measures for Brucellosis
- To prevent any symptoms of brucellosis, humans should avoid contact with infected dogs, cattle, or goats, especially if they have any open wound.
- Eating well-cooked meat and drinking boiled milk can prevent the infection.
- People working with animals or keeping dogs should use protective covering to safeguard against infection.
- Take all safety precautions to protect against brucellosis or any symptoms of infection caused by these bacteria.
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