Brucellosis: An Economically Important Infection

Brucellosis is one of the world’s major zoonosis, caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. The world’s most widespread zoonosis affects cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and other animals, leading to abortion, infertility, and low milk yields. Humans acquire brucellosis from direct contact with livestock or from drinking unpasteurized milk. Brucella spp. are considered as the most common laboratory-acquired pathogens. Several serological tests have been widely used for diagnosis of Brucella such are Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), Standard tube agglutination test (STAT), complement fixation test (CFT), enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). Besides these, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based identification and typing, fluorescence polarization assay (FPA) are also important diagnostic tools. The worldwide economic losses due to brucellosis are extensive. Although a number of successful vaccines are being used for immunization of animals still no satisfactory vaccine against human brucellosis is available. This review shows world literature and its impact to the history, epidemiology, virulence, diagnosis along with the control measures adopted in all over the world scenario including Indian.