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Imprint
The impact of brucellosis as a foodborne disease
Project
Project code: BfR-BIOS-08-1322-540
Contract period: 01.04.2013
- 31.12.2015
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: brucellosis, epidemiology, human pathogens
Brucellosis is one of the most frequent bacterial zoonoses worldwide. Human infection is usually transmitted by animal food products. In North and Central Europe brucellosis is well controlled in livestock. Germany has been declared 'officially free from ovine/caprine and bovine brucellosis' more than a decade ago. Nevertheless, 20-30 cases per year are notified. These cases are due to tourism, migration or illegal imports of animal food. Because of the unspecific clinical signs and symptoms a high number of cases remains unreported. A diagnostic delay is quite often seen in non-endemic countries leading to chronic courses, focal complications and lethal outcomes. Prevalence data from endemic regions are needed to assess the risk for infection in German residents. Valid data from the highly prevalent European countries of the Mediterranean Basin are available, but only scarce information on humans and animals cases exists for Asia and Africa. Therefore, the aim of this epidemiological study was to investigate the prevalence of human Brucella cases in Madagascar to assess the risk of travel-associated infections. In a survey comprising 1116 Madagascan patients suffering from fever of unknown origin, we proved that brucellosis is not endemic in Madagascar. Hence, the risk of a travel-associated infection which can be attributed to close contacts to infected animals or to the ingestion of contaminated food seems to be low.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal health
- Toxicology
