Brucellosis

I was diagnosed with brucellosis today after a week of confusing symptoms vaguely resembling dengue or chikungunya.   Diagnosis was from clinical symptoms, lab tests, reacciones febriles (blood) and coprológico general(stool).  Also tested positive for proteus OX-19.  Brucella is generally associated with consuming unpasteurized dairy products -- I don't know the source.  Initial symptoms were rapidly developing fever to 103F and harsh aching of back and leg muscles; day 3 of symptoms brought lower GI symptoms and fatigue.   Symptoms will vary.

I looked around recent postings and I didn't see much mention of it lately, but it's here.

Bummer. We drink raw milk every day BUT our little cow is disease free and I'm a stickler on the whole milk production being bacteria free....meaning everything is boiled. It's great for you IF everything is done correctly. So sorry you're sick. Do you know where you got it?

Sorry to hear that, tbh1, hope you recover rapidly.

Have you eaten local cheese in many places lately? Or at home? If so, where and where did you buy it?

Get well soon.

As to where I may have gotten it ... the incubation period is 5 days to 5 months with 2-4 weeks being the most common (CDC).   So that is a pretty broad window to look back on.   However, my main sources are milk for cereal, mozzarella for a weekly pizza, and the occasional yogurt, all of which are labeled to be from pasteurized milk.   The mozzarella is from EUA.  No local cheese, not even any sampler in the stores.  I never use cream in my coffee in a restaurant.  I eat in a restaurant about once or twice a week, usually one breakfast and one dinner.  This leaves all the hidden sources we don't know or think about.   Still working on other possible sources that I'm overlooking ...

Thank you, tbh1, for your research. Maybe you got some local cheese, like queso fresco, in a restaurant as a garnish or something. Was the yogurt local?

Difficult diagnosis, for sure. So much dengue around! Can you tell us who your doctor is that has overseen your care and diagnosis? Hope you feel better soon. TIA

My spouse was diagnosed with brucellosis at the Ajijic hospital after returning from Viet Nam using blood and stool. After doing our own research we realized he hadn't been prescribed the antibiotics needed to treat brucellosis. Another check at another clinic we found out it was a misdiagnosis.

Good Luck

Trailrunner wrote:Thank you, tbh1, for your research. Maybe you got some local cheese, like queso fresco, in a restaurant as a garnish or something. Was the yogurt local?

Difficult diagnosis, for sure. So much dengue around! Can you tell us who your doctor is that has overseen your care and diagnosis? Hope you feel better soon. TIA

The milk and yogurt are both LaLa.    However, small trace amounts from other sources can be very difficult to chase down -- that's the maddening part!    I hesitate to mention names on these boards because I've seen how things can get out of hand, and sometimes unfairly.

I would post the image of the lab report but the "insert image" wants only a URL.   I don't see a way to post an image from my computer.

What was the correct diagnosis, SJC?

Thank you for your report, that was why I asked. Misdiagnoses around here are frequent.

[/quote]The milk and yogurt are both LaLa.    However, small trace amounts from other sources can be very difficult to chase down -- that's the maddening part!    I hesitate to mention names on these boards because I've seen how things can get out of hand, and sometimes unfairly.

I would post the image of the lab report but the "insert image" wants only a URL.   I don't see a way to post an image from my computer.[/quote]

You are right, tbh1, I understand. Seems as though Lala products would be safe, pasteurized, long standing popular company, etc.

If you feel comfortable sharing the lab and doc who made the diagnosis with me via PM, I would appreciate it. I try to keep my finger on the who is good and who to avoid button.

What is the treatment they are prescribing for you?

Trailrunner,

Just click on "Host an Image", which is to the left of "insert image". Once uploaded, you'll be presented with some options to insert your just uploaded image to your post. Easy peas.

According to the CDC, NCBI/NIH, Mayo's and others, the standard adult treatment regimens usually involve combinations of:

doxycycline
streptomycin
gentamicin
rifampicin
trimethoprim-sulfa methoxazole (Bactrim)

It is usually doxycycline and one of the others, and for varying lengths of time; 45 days is common.  

Each combination has its pros and cons, things like side-effects vs. frequency of recurrence/relapse, for examples.

It amazes me that the cows aren't vaccinated. Such a small thing to avoid so much suffering. I just read that you can also get it from undercooked beef.

I'm pretty sure they're vaccinated in the US.

No doubt. I've never heard of anyone getting Brucellosis here. Might be some ..but I've never heard of it.

A lot of local restaurants use crema on their potatoes and other dishes. I've always been concerned where they get it from.

Kip, I've never heard of it either in the US.

http://www.fass.org/fasscience/viewarticle.asp?article_id=367

It is mandatory

http://www.academia.edu/16499916/Brucellosis_outbreak_in_a_rural_endemic_region_of_Mexico_a_comprehensive_investigation

info see link^^^ Mexico related

espíritu del lago wrote:http://www.fass.org/fasscience/viewarticle.asp?article_id=367

It is mandatory

In most areas, they will be a metal tag in the cow's ear to show the compliance.

yep.

Does Mexico have mandotory vaccinations for cattle, sheep, goats?
Anybody know and have a reputable source

Hmmm... I don't imagine sheep and goats.... And it would probably only affect dairies that sell to the public.

In an attempt to get as much information as I could regarding my lab report showing brucella, and on the prudent recommendation of one of our members,  I got another opinion on the diagosis and treatment plan.     This second opinion was that the brucella level was too low to justify a diagnosis of brucellosis and therefore considered the level to be a false positive.    So it appears that I lucked out and that what I had was just a nasty virus resembling many of the other fevers circulating about the area.    

However, just so we don't dismiss all this as a red herring this is still a valid wake-up call for all of us because the control and testing (and enforcement) for brucella in Mexico is nowhere near the level in the US and Canada where most people don't even think about brucellosis when they buy and consume dairy.

As evidence for that statement, consider earlier posted links and this map from the US Animal Health Association visually describing the situation in Mexico in 2013 and future outlooks:
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/Committees/brucellosis/presentations/2013_BrucellosisEradicationMexico_GutierrezReyes.pdf

Brucellosis is generally low in Latin America with the exceptions of Mexico and Peru, and most of the cases in the US are coming from Mexico.   See this:
http://www2.keelpno.gr/blog/?p=2033&lang=en
(Their sources are at the end of their article.)

For a worldwide overview of brucellosis see this, which includes Mexico:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3888775/

Still, we know that millions of people are consuming dairy in Mexico with absolutely no problems, and that's important to know.   However,  there is still some risk from certain unknown sources and we should know about that, too.

Brucellosis is also known as Malta fever and I know it was common in France during mu mothers time..now the animals are vaccinated as all the est cheeses are made of raw milk.
Got Brucellosis here in Ajijic 13 years ago..probably from yogurts or fresh cheese I ate at rstaurants bt my gues at the time was yogurt..who knows..