Brucellosis, also called Crimean fever, Malta fever, or
Mediterranean fever, is a zoonotic disease caused by the
brucella genus bacteria.
The disease is called after the British physician, Dr. David Bruce, who
isolated and identified the bacteria for first time back in 1887.
The disease can be transmitted from animals to humans by direct contact, when consuming contaminated dairy
products or meat, and by inhalation of the bacteria.
In rare cases, the
disease can be spread from human to human.
Symptoms often resemble a flu-like illness and usually
appear within 5 to 30 days.
Brucellosis may be chronic and symptoms can be suffered for years.
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