Physiological adaptation of intracellular bacteria is critical for timely interaction with eukaryotic host cells. One mechanism of adaptation, the stringent response, is induced by nutrient stress via its effector molecule (p)ppGpp, synthesized by the action of RelA/SpoT homologues. The intracellular pathogen Brucella spp., causative agent of brucellosis, possesses a gene homologous to relA/spo...

Tissue culture methods have been used to investigate infectious allergy in experimental brucellosis. A study was made of the effect of whole cell Brucella antigen on cultures of spleen from normal and Brucella-infected guinea pigs. The degree of toxicity was based upon the inhibition of migration of wandering cells and upon the morphologic appearance of stained sections of tissue cultures at di...

INTRODUCTION Although Brucella spondylitis and Brucella discitis have been frequently reported, Brucella infection of the vertebral arch is rare and has not been previously described. We present the first case of Brucella infection of the thoracic vertebral arch with epidural abscess formation and discuss the clinical key points. CASE PRESENTATION A 57-year-old man of Han nationality with a h...

The first species of Brucella was isolated and characterized almost 120 years ago and recently the complete nucleotide sequences of the genomes of a number of well-characterized Brucella strains have been determined. However, compared to other bacterial pathogens relatively little is known about the factors contributing to its persistence in the host and multiplication within phagocytic cells. ...

Detection of Brucella, causing brucellosis, is very challenging, since the applied techniques are mostly time-demanding and not standardized. While the common detection system relies on the cultivation of the bacteria, further classical typing up to the biotype level is mostly based on phenotypic or genotypic characteristics. The results of genotyping do not always fit the existing taxonomy, an...

Brucella spp. are stealthy bacteria that enter host cells without major perturbation. The molecular mechanism involved is still poorly understood, although numerous studies have been published on this subject. Recently, it was reported that Brucella abortus utilizes cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) to enter the cells and to reach its replicative niche. The molecular mechanisms involved were not ...

Brucellosis caused by Brucella spp. is a major zoonotic disease. Control of brucellosis in agricultural animals is a prerequisite for the prevention of this disease in human beings. Recently, Brucella melitensis was declared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to be one of three major bioterrorist agents due to the expense required for the treatment of human brucellosis patients. ...

Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease of nearly worldwide distribution. This pathogen causes abortion in cattle and undulant fever, arthritis, endocarditis and meningitis in human. The immune response against B. abortus involves innate and adaptive immunity involving antigen-presenting cells, NK cells and CD4 + and CD8 + T cells. IFNis a crucial immune component that results from Brucell...

Three culture media (Brucella agar, Farrell medium, and CITA) were compared for their effectiveness in inhibiting contamination and for isolating Brucella spp. One hundred lymph nodes from pigs (n = 50) and wild boars (n = 50) with lymphadenitis were collected in slaughterhouses in the State of São Paulo and were assessed on these three selective media for Brucella spp. All of the samples were ...

Brucella is a facultative intracellular pathogen, and brucellosis is commonest zoonotic disease worldwide. Brucella species, isolated from domestic animals, are important pathogen for humans. Annually, more than 500,000 new cases of brucellosis are reported, and this figure is an underestimate due to extended under-reporting cases in several endemic countries. Brucella has a variety of virulenc...