Canine brucellosis

This review discusses the prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis, clinical findings, diagnostic methods, therapy, management and public health considerations of Brucella canis infection in dogs. Canine brucellosis is a contagious infection produced by a gram-negative coccobacilus called Brucella canis. The main sources of infection are vaginal fluids of infected females and urine in males. Routes of entry are venereal, oronasal, conjunctivae mucosa and placenta. The most significant symptoms are late abortions in bitches, epididymitis in males and infertility in both sexes, as well as generalized lymphadenitis, discospondylitis and uveitis. Diagnosis is complex because serology can give false positive results and chronic cases can give negative results, needing to be complemented with bacteriological studies. No antibiotic treatment is 100% effective and the infection often recurs in animals apparently treated successfully. Infected animals must be removed from the kennels and no longer used for breeding. Preferably, males should be castrated and females spayed. Human contagion is not frequent, although it has been reported, and is easily treated.