What is the Brucellosis outbreak in China? Can the bacterial infection be transmitted?

More than 3,000 people in north-western China have tested positive for a deadly bacterial infection named Brucellosis, an outbreak that was caused by a leak at a biopharmaceutical company last year. The National Health Commission (NHC) of Lanzhou confirmed that at least 3,245 citizens have been diagnosed with the disease, usually caused by drinking unpasteurised milk or undercooked meat from an animal infected with the brucella bacteria. However, the infection can also spread by inhaling the bacteria, which may have caused the outbreak in Lanzhou.

How did Brucellosis occur?

According to an international media report, China's Zhongmu Lanzhou biological pharmaceutical factory was working on finding a vaccine against the brucella bacteria to use for the animal. In the span between July to August 2019, the biopharmaceutical factory failed to eradicate the bacteria in the waste gas after they used expired disinfectants and sanitizers.

Leaked into the air, the waste gas formed aerosols which contained the bacteria and infected the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute as per reports. The LVRI began reporting brucellosis infections from November onwards which then spread further. 

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What are the symptoms of Brucellosis?

The disease is caused by a group of bacteria from the genus Brucella. The bacteria can infect both humans and animals such as sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, and dogs, etc.

Symptoms of brucellosis disease may include:

• Frequent fever
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Joint, muscle and back pain
• Fatigue
• Cold
• Sweat
• Weight loss
• Appetite loss

As per the Center for Disease Control (CDC), some of these symptoms can be present for prolonged periods of time.

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How do people contract Brucellosis?

Consuming raw dairy products is the most common way to be infected with Brucellosis. But the infections can also be spread through the air or by coming direct contact with infected animals. The bacteria can enter the body through open wounds or mucous membranes. As per the CDC, the person-to-person spread of brucellosis is extremely rare, however, lactating mothers who are infected with the bacteria may transmit the disease to their infants. Tissue transplantation or blood transfusions may be other ways of transmitting the bacteria, although sexual transmission has been rarely reported since the outbreak.

Complications of the disease

Brucellosis involves various health complications as it can affect almost all parts of the body - such as the heart, liver, central nervous system, and the reproductive system. According to health experts, the infection can also result in inflamed testicles, causing infertility in men.

A person infected with brucellosis may suffer from arthritis, endocarditis (infection of the heart’s inner lining), encephalitis (brain inflammation), meningitis (inflammation of the membranes around your brain), etc. The fatality rate for the disease is about 2%.

READ | China: Thousands Infected With Bacterial Disease After Leak At Biopharmaceutical Factory

Treatment and prevention

Brucellosis is usually treated with antibiotics such as rifampin and doxycycline. A person suffering from the disease may take a few weeks or several months to recover, depending on the timing of treatment and severity of the infection.

Avoiding consumption of unpasteurised dairy products and taking safety precautions such as wearing rubber gloves while handling animals or working in labs can help in reducing the risk of contracting brucellosis. Other preventive measures include cooking meat thoroughly, vaccinating domestic animals, etc.

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