Using a One Health Case-Based Investigation for Improved Control of Brucellosis in Isiolo, Kenya

Abstract

Brucella is a highly pathogenic bacteria endemic in Kenya, and in spite of its severity in humans, the highly inadequate Febrile Antigen Brucella Agglutination Test (FBAT) remains a primary tool for its diagnosis. Blood samples were collected from febrile patients in Kinna health center and screened by the local routine. Milk samples were purchased from local milk hawkers and analyzed for Brucella antibodies using the milk ring test (MRT). The MRT-positive milk was traced to farms, and lactating cattle were sampled for milk and blood. Milk was MRT-tested and the serum was analyzed using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and iELISA. Available patient and farm samples were stored on FTA cards for qPCR analyses. Despite a limited sample size, our study, in line with previous reports, shows a low diagnostic sensitivity (67%) and specificity (40%) of FBAT when compared to qPCR. As many as 48% of the raw bulk cattle milk samples were MRT-positive for Brucella antibodies and 60% of cattle on three visited farms were IS711 qPCR-positive. This case-based One Health investigation confirms the suspected Brucella presence, suggesting a targeted vaccination at high-prevalence farms, urgent interventions on milk safety, and a re-evaluation of the diagnostic and treatment regimen.

The In Vitro and In Vivo Effect of Lipoxygenase Pathway Inhibitors Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid and Its Derivative Tetra-O-methyl Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid againstBrucella abortus544

“…Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease that affects domestic livestock and wildlife, the second most transmissible zoonotic disease worldwide next to rabies, a serious health hazard but its public health concern has been neglected in many countries, a notifiable disease, and considered a bio-threatening (category B) agent [ 1 ]. This zoonotic infection is caused by Brucella , four species are known to infect humans among which majority of the cases are caused by B. abortus and B. melitensis [ 2 ]. Brucella has been reported to possess five virulence factors necessary for infection and survival within the host including cyclic β-glucan, virB T4SS, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), two component sensory and regulatory system BvrS/BvrR and lipopolysaccharide (LPBS); as well as it requires four steps to successfully establish an infection to its host such as adherence, invasion, establishment and dissemination [ 3 ].…”