Ways To Treat And Prevent Brucellosis

Brucellosis is an infection caused by bacteria spread from animals to humans, typically through the consumption of dairy products. Although rare, the infection can also be spread through the air as well. Contraction of brucellosis is rare in the United States, but globally affects thousands of humans and animals on an annual basis. Typical symptoms of brucellosis include fever, joint pain, and lethargy.

Treatment usually consists of antibiotics and can take months to fully eradicate the infection. Relapse of brucellosis is very common, and prevention is the best method for avoiding the effects of infection.

Avoid Unpasteurized Dairy

The best way to prevent the contraction of brucellosis is to avoid unpasteurized dairy products, such as cheese, milk, and yogurt. Since the invention of pasteurization, the United States has seen a decline in the number of brucellosis cases reported on an annual basis. Reported cases were found to be contributed to the consumption of raw, unpasteurized dairy products from domestic cattle herds. Because pasteurization is not practiced in every country and methods of acquiring and storing dairy varies, individuals traveling outside of the United States should not consume any dairy products.

Wear Protective Gloves In Appropriate Industries

It is important to wear protective gloves in appropriate industries such as work in slaughterhouses, farmers, and veterinarians. Although brucellosis is typically spread from animals to humans through the consumption of dairy products, it is possible for it to be contracted through the air and from direct contact with animals carrying the infection. Anytime an individual has plans to interact with animals who may be sick, the tissue of animals (alive or dead), or assisting in the birth of an animal it is imperative they engage in preventative measures and wear protective rubber gloves.

Antibiotics

Treatment for brucellosis typically includes antibiotics, which assist the compromised immune system in fighting and killing the invading bacteria. Because the infection can be complicated to treat, doctors generally will start those infected with brucellosis with a combination treatment to increase the likelihood the bacteria will be eradicated, and the immune system will rebound in the production of white blood cells.

Patients must follow this course of treatment for at least six to eight weeks. It is critical for individuals with the infection not only take the full course as per their physician's guidelines but to take it as scheduled as well. Failure to do so can lead to the bacteria becoming resistant to the treatment, at which time stronger intervention methods may need to be used.

Rest

Many of the symptoms related to brucellosis can leave patients with the infection feeling fatigued. It is important for individuals who have brucellosis to get adequate relaxation and limit normal activities, especially in the initial stages of the disease and when or if any symptoms should flare in the following weeks. As with other infections, brucellosis compromises the immune system.

Adequate rest, along with the doctor's recommended treatment, and a healthy lifestyle will help the patient infected with brucellosis fight the infection and get better faster. Flare-ups of fever, pain, and fatigue are common during the six to eight weeks of treatment and are an indication additional rest is needed to help the body continue its fight.

Surgical Intervention

Brucellosis typically is eradicated through the use of antibiotics to fight the infection. However, there are rare cases in which the infection is resistant to this course of treatment, so surgical intervention may be necessary. This is especially true if brucellosis migrates through the body and begins to attack vital organs, such as the heart and liver. In these cases, surgery is used to drain and remove the infection from the vital organs.

Surgical intervention may also be required if brucellosis begins to attack the spinal cord, causing abscesses. In these cases, a surgeon will drain the abscess formed on the spine to relieve pain, herniations, and fractures that may have been caused by the inflammation of the abscesses.