Multipronged diagnostic approaches for monitoring the treatment of Brucella abortus infected patient: a case report

Brucellosis caused by Brucella species is readily transmissible to humans, causing acute febrile illness and undulant fever which may progress to a more chronic form and can also produce serious complications affecting the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and central nervous systems. A veterinary livestock inspector presented to the institute with symptoms of intermittent fever, pain involving muscles and joints, loss of weight, anxiety and weakness for about three months has been investigated. The isolation, serological tests and PCR were performed for diagnosis of brucellosis. Based on history of constant professional association with animals, characteristic symptoms, hematological and biochemical, multiple serological and PCR assay results, the patient was diagnosed as brucellosis. Detection of Brucella abortus directly in the clinical samples by gel based PCRs were highly useful for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment. This diagnostic protocol will facilitate in a simple way to map major Brucella species infecting humans in a geographical region.