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avian & livestock assay data sheet
Brucella
NOTE: THIS TEST IS NOT PERFORMED
ON SAMPLES TAKEN FROM LIVESTOCK OWNED OR LOCATED IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA.
Test code:
B0075
- Ultrasensitive detection of
Brucella bacteria by real time PCR. This assay
detects but does not differentiate
Brucella abortus, B. microti, B. melitensis, B. pinnipedialis,
B. suis, B. canis, B. ovis
and B. neotomae.
Brucellosis is
an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus
Brucella.
Various Brucella
species have been shown to infect sheep, goats, cattle, deer,
elk, pigs, dogs, and several other animal species. Humans can
become infected when they contact these infected animals or
their products.
In humans,
brucellosis can cause a range of symptoms similar to influenza,
and may include fever, sweats, headaches, back pains, and
physical weakness. Severe infections of the central nervous
system or lining of the heart may occur. Brucellosis can also
cause long-lasting or chronic symptoms that include recurrent
fevers, joint pain and fatigue.
Although
brucellosis is not common in United States, it frequently occurs
in countries that have poor animal disease control programs.
Travel to these countries can result in infection with these
bacteria. Humans are usually infected by eating or drinking
something that is contaminated with the bacteria, by inhaling
the bacteria, or by exposure of wounds to these bacteria.
Occupational exposure is one of the major routes for human
infection. The chronic nature of the disease means that infected
people or animals can become carriers of the bacteria.
Diagnosis of
brucellosis has routinely been by culture detection of the
bacteria, but culture has very low sensitivity and so is less
useful for subacute and chronic carriers. Molecular detection by
PCR, on the other hand, can provide rapid, sensitive and
specific identification of these bacteria in a sample (Mitka et
al., 2007).
Utilities:
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Help confirm the disease causing agent
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Identify Brucella
carriers
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Help ensure that herds and other animal populations are free
of Brucella
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Early prevention of spread of these bacteria among
animals
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Minimize human exposure to these bacteria
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Safety monitoring of biological products that derive
from susceptible animals
References:
Mitka, S., Anetakis, C., Souliou, E., Diza, E. and Kansouzidou,
A. (2007). Evaluation of Different PCR Assays for Early
Detection of Acute and Relapsing Brucellosis in Humans in
Comparison with Conventional Methods.
J. Clin. Microbiol.
45: 1211-1218
Specimen requirements:
0.2 ml
whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube, or 0.2 ml milk
Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.
For all
specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during
very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship
with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are
specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain
frozen in transit. See
shipping instructions
for more information.
Turnaround time:
2 business days
Methodology:
Qualitative real time PCR
Normal range:
Nondetected
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