Brucella melitensis

Brucella melitensis
A photomicrograph of the bacterium Brucella melitensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Bacteria
Phylum: Proteobacteria
Class: Alpha Proteobacteria
Order: Rhizobiales
Family: Brucellaceae
Genus: Brucella
Species: B. melitensis
Binomial name
Brucella melitensis
Synonyms

Brucella neotomae

Brucella melitensis is a gram negative coccobacillus bacteria from the Brucellaceae family. The bacterium causes Ovine Brucellosis, along with Brucella ovis. It can infect sheep, cattle, and sometimes humans and it can be transmitted by the stable fly. It is zoonotic, unlike Brucella ovis, causing Malta fever or localized brucellosis in humans.

Pathogenesis & Disease

The bacterium causes severe inflammation of the epididymis, causing formation of spermatocoeles and fibrinous adhesions. This disease is known as ovine brucellosis. It can also cause epididymitis in cattle. Ovine brucellosis is a reportable disease in USA.[1] A cure for it was discovered by Sir Temi Żammit in the early 1900s.

It is also reported to cause reproductive disease such as orchitis, mastitis, and abortions.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Reportable and Foreign Animal Diseases" (PDF). USDA.gov. USDA. Retrieved 4/8/15. Check date values in: |access-date= (help)

External links


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, February 26, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.