Brucella canis
Encyclopedia
Brucella canis is a gram-negative proteobacterium
in the family Brucellaceae
that causes brucellosis
in dog
s and other canids
. Bacteria B. canis are rod-shaped or cocci, oxidase
, catalase
, and urease
positive. The species was firstly described in USA in 1966 where mass abortions of beagle
s were documented. The disease is characterized by epididymitis
and orchitis
in male dogs, endometritis
, placentitis and abortion
s in females, and often presents as infertility
in both sexes. Other symptoms such an inflammation in eyes and axial and appendicular skeleton, lymphadenopathy
and splenomegaly
, are less common. Humans can be also infected but infections are rare.
Brucella canis is a zoonotic organism
. Signs of this disease are different in both genders of dogs; females who have Brucella canis face an abortion of their pre-developed fetus. Males face the chance of infertility; the reason is that they develop an antibody against the sperm. This may be followed by inflammation of the testes which will generally settle down a little while after. Symptoms do not only include testicular inflammation, infertility in males, and abortion in females. Another symptom is the infection of the spinal plates or vertebrae, which is called diskospondylitis
.
Treatment for B. canis is very difficult to find and often very expensive. The combination of minocycline
and streptomycin
is thought to be useful, but it is often unaffordable. Tetracycline can be a less expensive substitute for minocycline, but it also lowers the effect of the treatment.
Proteobacteria
The Proteobacteria are a major group of bacteria. They include a wide variety of pathogens, such as Escherichia, Salmonella, Vibrio, Helicobacter, and many other notable genera....
in the family Brucellaceae
Brucellaceae
The Brucellaceae are a family of the gram-negative Rhizobiales. They are named after Sir David Bruce, a Scottish microbiologist. They are aerobic chemoorganotrophes.. The family comprises pathogen and soil bacteria...
that causes brucellosis
Brucellosis
Brucellosis, also called Bang's disease, Crimean fever, Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Maltese fever, Mediterranean fever, rock fever, or undulant fever, is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected animals or close contact with their secretions...
in dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
s and other canids
Canidae
Canidae is the biological family of carnivorous and omnivorous mammals that includes wolves, foxes, jackals, coyotes, and domestic dogs. A member of this family is called a canid . The Canidae family is divided into two tribes: Canini and Vulpini...
. Bacteria B. canis are rod-shaped or cocci, oxidase
Oxidase
An oxidase is any enzyme that catalyzes an oxidation-reduction reaction involving molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor. In these reactions, oxygen is reduced to water or hydrogen peroxide ....
, catalase
Catalase
Catalase is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms that are exposed to oxygen, where it catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen...
, and urease
Urease
Urease is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. The reaction occurs as follows:In 1926, James Sumner showed that urease is a protein. Urease is found in bacteria, yeast, and several higher plants. The structure of urease was first solved by P.A...
positive. The species was firstly described in USA in 1966 where mass abortions of beagle
Beagle
The Beagle is a breed of small to medium-sized dog. A member of the Hound Group, it is similar in appearance to the Foxhound, but smaller, with shorter legs and longer, softer ears. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game...
s were documented. The disease is characterized by epididymitis
Epididymitis
Epididymitis is a medical condition in which there is inflammation of the epididymis . This condition comprises gradual onset of testicular pain that can vary from mild to severe, and the scrotum may become red, warm and swollen...
and orchitis
Orchitis
Orchitis or orchiditis is a condition of the testes involving inflammation. It can also involve swelling and frequent infection.-Symptoms:Symptoms of orchitis are similar to those of testicular torsion...
in male dogs, endometritis
Endometritis
Endometritis refers to inflammation of the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus. Pathologists have traditionally classified endometritis as either acute or chronic: acute endometritis is characterized by the presence of microabscesses or neutrophils within the endometrial glands, while...
, placentitis and abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s in females, and often presents as infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
in both sexes. Other symptoms such an inflammation in eyes and axial and appendicular skeleton, lymphadenopathy
Lymphadenopathy
Lymphadenopathy is a term meaning "disease of the lymph nodes." It is, however, almost synonymously used with "swollen/enlarged lymph nodes". It could be due to infection, auto-immune disease, or malignancy....
and splenomegaly
Splenomegaly
Splenomegaly is an enlargement of the spleen. The spleen usually lies in the left upper quadrant of the human abdomen. It is one of the four cardinal signs of hypersplenism, some reduction in the number of circulating blood cells affecting granulocytes, erythrocytes or platelets in any...
, are less common. Humans can be also infected but infections are rare.
Brucella canis is a zoonotic organism
Zoonosis
A zoonosis or zoonoseis any infectious disease that can be transmitted from non-human animals to humans or from humans to non-human animals . In a study of 1415 pathogens known to affect humans, 61% were zoonotic...
. Signs of this disease are different in both genders of dogs; females who have Brucella canis face an abortion of their pre-developed fetus. Males face the chance of infertility; the reason is that they develop an antibody against the sperm. This may be followed by inflammation of the testes which will generally settle down a little while after. Symptoms do not only include testicular inflammation, infertility in males, and abortion in females. Another symptom is the infection of the spinal plates or vertebrae, which is called diskospondylitis
Spondylitis
Spondylitis is an inflammation of the vertebra. It is a form of spondylopathy. In many cases, spondylitis involves one or more vertebral joint as well, which itself is called spondylarthritis.-Examples:...
.
Treatment for B. canis is very difficult to find and often very expensive. The combination of minocycline
Minocycline
Minocycline is a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic, and has a broader spectrum than the other members of the group. It is a bacteriostatic antibiotic, classified as a long-acting type...
and streptomycin
Streptomycin
Streptomycin is an antibiotic drug, the first of a class of drugs called aminoglycosides to be discovered, and was the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis. It is derived from the actinobacterium Streptomyces griseus. Streptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic. Streptomycin cannot be given...
is thought to be useful, but it is often unaffordable. Tetracycline can be a less expensive substitute for minocycline, but it also lowers the effect of the treatment.
External links
- Brucella canis genomes and related information at PATRIC, a Bioinformatics Resource Center funded by NIAID