Exam 4: Brucella and Bartonella Flashcards
What species does Brucella abortus prefer?
Cattle
What species does B. suis prefer?
Swine
What species does B. melitensis prefer?
Goats and sheep
What species does B. ovis prefer?
Sheep
What species does B. canis prefer?
Dogs
Which of the Brucella species is the most zoonotic?
B. melitensis
What is the transmission of Brucella?
Ingestion is the most common, but exposure through conjunctival and genital mucosa and respiratory routes occurs
What is the major source for exposure to B. abortus and B. melitensis?
Through aborted fetuses, the placenta, and postabortion uterine fluids
What can vertical transmission of B. melitensis and B. abortus occur through?
Infected milk
What allow for the veneral transmission of B. suis, B. ovis, and B. canis in males?
Infection of accessory sex glands
What can B. canis and B. suis be transmitted through?
Urine or milk
What can Brucella penetrate?
Intact mucosa
Where does Brucella localize?
Regional lymph nodes, where it either proliferates or is killed
Why do females abort with Brucella?
Probably due to acquired immunity
What diseases does Brucella cause in males?
Epididymitis, orchitis, usually unilateral
What is the order of virulence, most to least, of Brucella species in humans?
B. melitensis
B. suis
B. abortus
B. canis
How is Brucellla an occupational risk?
Exposure to aborted fetuses/placentas
B. suis: prolonged bacteremic phase poses risk in slaughterhouse
Hunting feral swine
Kennel workers, but B. canis infection in humans is rare
Contaminated raw milk from infected cows or goats
How can Brucella be diagnosed?
Culturing from abscess, semen, or vaginal fluids
Antibody can confirm isolates
DNA detection by PCR
Serum antibody detection
What does Bartonella henselae cause?
Cat scratch disease in humans
Infection in cats
What does Bartonella vinsonii cause?
Endocarditis/myocarditis in humans
What does Bartonella vinsonii subspecies berhoffi cause?
Canine endocarditis
What is the transmission of Bartonella?
Most are vector-borne
What do Bartonella species multiply and persist in?
Erythrocytes
What does Bartonella often induce?
Endothelial proliferation
What does B. henselae induce?
Infected cells to produce vascular endothelial growth factor
