Brucellosis: Does India Need to Worry?

As the nation continues to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated socio-economic problems, medical professionals and scientists have surfaced in China last December and are already experiencing a new zoonotic brucellosis. I’m worried about my illness. Infected more than 3,000 people. Some people find it less serious because the disease already exists in India COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appearsOthers are of the opinion that it may become a pandemic snowball and may be more serious than the current one.

Lanzhou City officials in Gansu Province have confirmed that 3,245 people tested positive for brucellosis (zoonoses). Brucellosis is usually transmitted by contact with infected livestock such as cows, goats and pigs. The outbreak began with a leak at the Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute in central China, infecting 96 laboratory staff on December 7, 2019.
At noon, Dr. Seyed E Hasnain, a professor of molecular medicine and vice president of Jamia Hamdarad and Hon. “Recent evidence suggests that brucellosis is associated with returnees, a serious concern in countries with low- and middle-income people. Direct contact or livestock,” said a professor at IIT Delhi. It is transmitted from livestock to humans. We use animal products that have not been sterilized at low temperature. Please note that COVID-19 and brucellosis symptoms may overlap. “

No association

Dr. Hasnine added, “There is no association between brucellosis and COVID-19 so far, but similarities include spread by inhalation of air containing bacteria, initial infection by traveler movement, fever, chills, headache. Infections such as general weakness, fatigue affect most parts of the body, including inflammation of the liver, testicles leading to male infertility, inflammation of the medullary membrane and CVD. So far, about 2% of infected people have died, but deaths have been reported in China. Brucellosis can be treated with antibiotics such as rifampindoxycycline and streptomycin. “

A sample of cotton swabs taken at an antigen testing camp in Tunabati, Dahisal. Pic / Satej Shinde

Dr. Sirman Singh, director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhopal and an expert in clinical microbiology and molecular medicine, said: “The outbreak of brucellosis in China is a concern. Advice on the disease is welcome, but brucellosis is still treatable, but COVID-19 is not.”

“Also, COVID-19 has long-term effects because it affects multiple organs. Patients who recover may complain of weight loss, fatigue, neurological and psychological problems, but brucellosis. Not true. In addition, the difference between the two – viruses like SARS-CoV2 can cause pandemics, but bacteria usually do not, and even in such cases, they make molecular attacks and bacteria. It’s easy to treat the attack. At this point, keep your eyes and ears open and fight COVID-19 in case of a possible outbreak of brucellosis. “

“Already in India”

Dr. Wiqar Shaikh, a senior specialist in allergies and asthma, said: “Is the world looking to the beginning of a new pandemic? Also to neighboring countries”

Dr. Sheikh added, “Unlike COVID-19, a new disease in the country, the incidence of brucellosis in India is about 1 lark per year and the mortality rate is about 2%. Unfortunately, it already exists. In diseased countries, the transition to pandemic is faster and can be severe. Therefore, doctors should test patients with high fever for both COVID-19 and brucellosis. Swab samples with coronavirus, blood How to collect for culture, IgM antibody testing For bacterial diseases. Currently, there is no effective vaccine for brucellosis as in the case of COVID-19. “

Reflecting similar concerns, Dr. Subhash Hira, a professor of global health at the University of Washington, Seattle, said: “This sends a strong message to all nations to increase their vigilance at the apex center for disease control. Scientists say the 21st century is the” pandemic century “and the world is still COVID- Although struggling to address 19 health and socio-economic implications, new zoonotic outbreaks have been reported in northwestern China.

Dr. Hira further stated: “Brucellosis spreads from person to person only in exceptional circumstances. Breastfeeding mothers with brucellosis can infect their babies with bacteria. They are not pasteurized in the air. I eat and drink bacteria-contaminated items such as milk and undercooked meat. “

“The current symptoms of both diseases are quite similar, but in the case of brucellosis, arthritis (joint swelling) spondylitis (swelling of the spine) and swelling of the testicles are also common symptoms, Dr. Sheikh said. I added. The other major difference is that there is no cure for COVID-19, but there are multiple antibiotics that can be used to treat brucellosis. “

Dr. Ketan Vagholkar, a professor of surgery at DY Patil Medical College, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic should be spectacular for health authorities around the world. Laboratories in Far Eastern countries are involved in the biotechnology of common human and animal infectious organisms. COVID-19 is a concrete example. Most of these laboratories are involved in biological research. We need to focus on identifying organisms that are found in different species of animals, such as viruses and bacteria, and that can infect humans. there is. “

Dr. Vagholkar added, “We need to develop a rough strategy to identify and treat these potential organisms, which also helps us to know in advance about rare diseases such as breakouts and brucellosis. May be useful. Potentially altered organisms, which can cause infectious diseases as well as serious pandemics. “

Another view

World-renowned for his extensive research in the fields of virology and pediatrics, Dr. T. Jacob John leads the ICMR Advanced Research Center for Virology and the National HIV / AIDS Reference Center for Christian Medical College in Veroa. The country’s first Institute of Diagnostic Virology has a different perspective. “Brucellosis is already prevalent in many countries and India, so it is unlikely to be a candidate for a pandemic. The original names were Malta fever and Mediterranean fever. In this case, human-to-human transmission. Is extremely rare, the problem is easy to diagnose, treatable with antibiotics, and has a very low mortality rate.

When asked if health professionals need to pay attention, Dr. Jacob said, “I often miss brucellosis when it comes to diagnosis, and antibiotics are given without a specific / appropriate / laboratory-based diagnosis. However, the patient will recover. “

‘COVID-19 has long-term effects as it affects multiple organs. Patients who recover complain of weight loss, fatigue, neurological and psychological problems, but not brucellosis. In addition, there is a big difference between the two. Viruses like SARS-CoV2 can cause a pandemic, but bacteria usually do not.
-Dr. Thurman Singh, Director of AIIMS Bhopal

Unlike COVID-19, a new disease in the country, the incidence of brucellosis in India is about 1 lark per year and the mortality rate is about 2%. Unfortunately, diseases that already exist in the country can become pandemics sooner and become even more serious. Therefore, doctors should test patients with high fever for both COVID-19 and brucellosis.
– Dr. Wiqar Shaikh, Senior Allergy and Asthma Specialist

Recent evidence suggests that brucellosis is associated with returnees, a serious concern in countries with low- and middle-income people. It can be transmitted from livestock to humans by direct contact or by using non-pasteurized animal products. It should be noted that COVID-19 and brucellosis symptoms may overlap. ‘
– Dr. Seyed E Hasnain, Professor of Molecular Medicine

3,245
Number of infected people in Lanzhou, China

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