Research progress in the therapy of brucellosis

Abstract

Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease posing serious threats to the health of humans and animals. Currently, effective therapeutics available for brucellosis are in urgent demand. Brucellosis is transmitted to humans through diet or contact with infected animals. Several live-attenuated vaccine strains are commercially available for animals, such as Brucella melitensis Rev.1, Brucella abortus S19, and RB51. However, no secure and effective vaccine for human beings has been developed yet against brucellosis, for which antibiotic therapy is the most frequently used and valid. Nevertheless, excessive antibiotics could prohibit the sensitivity of Brucella and develop resistance in humans. In addition, other clinical treatments, such as surgical treatment, have little effect on brucellosis. Therefore, novel treatment protocols should be explored. Based on numerous experimental studies, it is speculated that brucellosis can be fundamentally treated by inhibiting the activation of the type IV secretion system and changing the acidic environment of eBCV. In addition, previous literature showed that traditional Chinese medicine therapy also had certain efficacy, providing a new perspective angle for the exploration of treatment options.