BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39497.431528.80, (Published 5 March 2008)

Editorials

Treatment of brucellosis

Regimens containing aminoglycosides are most effective but difficult to implement in practice

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Although human brucellosis has been recognised for 121 years it remains difficult to treat.¹ It is transmitted mainly from domestic animals to humans through direct contact, contaminated animal products (particularly dairy products), and by inhalation of infectious particles. Brucella has developed many ways to evade the human immune system, and it induces a disease that is often relapsing or chronic. The geographical distribution of the disease is constantly changing, with new foci emerging,² and Brucellaalso has the potential to be used in biowarfare as it is easily produced in a steady aerosolised form.³ Brucella’s unique interaction with the human immune system means that a protracted therapeutic regimen with a combination of antibiotics is needed to avoid treatment failure and relapses, serious complications, or residual damage from focal disease.^{4 5} The optimal treatment regimen is debatable.

In the accompanying paper, Skalsky and colleagues report a systematic review of randomised controlled . . . [Full text of this article]

¹ Institute of Continuing Medical Education of Ioannina, 45333, Ioannina, Greece

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