[Brucella isolates in France: evaluation of 10 years of typing]

With the aim of knowing more exactly what species and biotypes are responsible for brucellosis in France, 2,058 strains have been examined since 1972. Of these, 1,693 were isolated from cattle, 190 from sheep, 10 from hare, 9 from goats, 3 from swine and 3 from field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus); 150 were of cases of human infection. Of the 18 types presently recognized for the genus Brucella, 11 were identified within the sample. In animal strains, they were B. abortus biotypes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9, B. suis biotypes 1 and 2, B. melitensis biotypes 1, 2 and 3, and B. ovis. All these types--except B. suis 2 and B. ovis--were identified within the human strains. Of these 11 types, 3 were widely predominant both in man and animals: B. abortus biotypes 1 and 3 and B. melitensis biotype 3, which together total 84.2% of the sample's strains. The results also emphasized the preference of B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. ovis for a decided animal host: 99.4% of the bovine strains were B. abortus, 98.1% of those isolated from ewes and goats were B. melitensis, and all the B ovis strains were from cases of ram epididymitis. Of the 150 human strains, 115 were B. melitensis, 33 B. abortus and 2 B. suis. These data were discussed from a taxonomical and epidemiological point of view.