Analysis of laboratory and serological test results in patients with acute brucellosis during follow‐up

Abstract

Background The laboratory test results and serum‐specific antibodies of patients with acute brucellosis initial infection were followed up and analyzed. Methods 70 patients in Hohhot City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with acute brucellosis were followed up for 360 days. Serum samples were collected at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 180, and 360 days after diagnosis and analyzed by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), colloidal gold test paper (GICA), and test tube agglutination test (SAT). The serum‐specific antibodies IgG and IgM were detected. Results RBPT results: False negative (‐) gradually increased with the extension of the course of disease, with the largest change in 30–60 days after diagnosis, and the constituent ratio increased by 12.9%. GICA results: The false negative increased with the course of disease, and the constituent ratio of false negative was 20.0% after 180 days of diagnosis. SAT results: 1:100 positive showed a ladder like decrease with the increase in the course of disease, and the largest decrease was 90–180 days, with a decrease of 34.3% in the constituent ratio. 360 days after diagnosis, the constituent ratio of positive was only 14.3%. During the follow‐up period, the IgG average value fluctuated and the average IgM value decreased. Conclusion The false‐negative results of RBPT, GICA, and SAT increased with the course of disease, and the false‐negative rates were higher than 20% after half a year. IgM level is beneficial to the early diagnosis of brucellosis, while IgG level is helpful to the judgment of brucellosis stage.

Brucella canis: a clinical review and rationalising risk

“…Contrary to belief, temporarily rehoming dogs during such scenarios is not advised as this approach risks a subclinical infected, seronegative dog exposing naive dogs and people. The subclinical nature of most B canis infections, paired with the limitations of serological testing in the early phase of the disease, means that negative dogs should be retested three months after last exposure to the infected dog (Ta and others 2022).…”