An expert from the Bryansk Testing Laboratory of the FGBI “ARRIAH” told how to diagnose brucellosis in animals in the laboratory

Anastasia Borisova, HEAD of the Department of Virology and Molecular Research of the Bryansk Testing Laboratory of the FGBI ARRIAH, talks about the laboratory diagnosis of brucellosis.

What is brucellosis?

Brucellosis (brucellosis) is a predominantly chronic disease, zooanthroponosis, characterized by damage to many life support systems, dysfunction of the vascular, digestive, genitourinary and reproductive systems. The causative agent is Gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogens of the genus Brucella, which are highly resistant in the environment and are able to remain viable for a long time.

Why is brucellosis dangerous?

Infection of people with the pathogen can occur by contact, alimentary route when consuming MILK, fermented milk products, MEAT and meat products obtained from animals with brucellosis and not undergone sufficient heat treatment. Brucella penetrate the body through both damaged skin and mucous membranes. The disease proceeds with the involvement of many organs and systems of the body in the process, causing damage to the bones and joints, and the genitourinary system in people.

In animals, brucellosis most often occurs in a latent form and is manifested by abortions in the second half of pregnancy. Abortions, as a rule, are accompanied by retention of the placenta and the development of mucopurulent, and later purulent-fibrinous endometritis. The defeat of the genital tract entails a violation of the reproductive function, which leads to lethargy, and sometimes infertility.

The disease of brucellosis in some individuals may be accompanied by serous bursitis, hygromas, arthritis, tendovaginitis, and in males - orchitis and epididymitis with a significant increase in the testes and swelling of the scrotum. In pigs, brucellosis is characterized by the appearance of abscesses in the subcutaneous tissue and parenchymal organs, paralysis of the muscles of the pelvis and limbs, and in horses by bursitis.

The source of the pathogen is sick animals, excrement, infected animal care items. Infection occurs alimentary, upon contact with a sick animal, with aborted fetuses, through damaged skin, mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.

How to diagnose brucellosis in animals in the laboratory?

Diagnosis of brucellosis in animals of all types is carried out from the age of 2 months, with the exception of calves of the meat direction of productivity and foals, which are examined from 7-9 months of age, respectively. In the Bryansk testing laboratory of the FGBI “ARRIAH”, serological studies are carried out using the RA, RSK, ELISA methods, and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method is also used. Biological material (whole blood, blood plasma, blood serum, milk , contents of the abdominal cavity and stomach, etc.), food, dairy products, cultures of microorganisms, swabs from various surfaces, environmental objects (water, soil, etc.).