Brucellosis: A Hidden Zoonotic Threat and Cross Species Menace

INTRODUCTION: Brucellosis, a bacterial disease caused by organisms in the genus Brucella, is an important zoonotic disease and a significant cause of reproductive loss in animals. It causes abortion in humans, infertility, prolonged fever and joint pain. Brucella sp. is an aerobic, small, gram negative coccobacillus or short rod that can persist in the environment invariably depending on the temperature, pH and humidity. It is a facultative intracellular pathogen that requires prolonged treatment with clinically effective antibiotics.