Brucellosis historical perspective
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Raviteja Guddeti, M.B.B.S. [2] Danitza Lukac
Overview
In 1887, David Bruce, a Scottish pathologist and microbiologist, was the first to discover the association between Brucella and development of brucellosis.[1]
Historical Perspective
- Under the name "Malta fever", the disease now called brucellosis, first came to the attention of British medical officers in Malta during the Crimean War in the 1850s. The causal relationship between organism and disease was first established by Dr. David Bruce in 1887.
- In 1897 Danish veterinarian Bernhard Bang isolated Brucella abortus as the agent and the additional name Bang's disease was assigned. In modern usage "Bang's disease" is often shortened to just "bangs" when ranchers discuss the disease or vaccine.
- Maltese doctor and archaeologist Sir Temi Zammit identified unpasteurized milk as the major source of the pathogen in 1905, and it has since become known as Malta Fever, or deni rqiq locally. In cattle this disease is also known as contagious abortion and infectious abortion.
- The popular name "undulant fever" originates from the characteristic undulance (or "wave-like" nature) of the fever which rises and falls over weeks in untreated patients. In the 20th Century, this name, along with "brucellosis" (after Brucella, named for Dr Bruce), gradually replaced the 19th Century names "Mediterranean fever" and "Malta fever".
- In 1989, neurologists in Saudi Arabia discovered "neurobrucellosis", a neurological involvement in brucellosis.[1]
Biological warfare
- Brucella species were weaponized by several advanced countries by the mid-20th century.
- In 1954, B. suis became the first agent weaponized by the U.S. at its Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas.
- Brucella species survive well in aerosols and resist drying.
- Brucella and all other remaining biological weapons in the US arsenal were destroyed in 1971-72 when the U.S. offensive biological weapons (BW) program was discontinued.
- The United States BW program focused on three agents of the Brucella group:
- Porcine Brucellosis (Agent US)
- Bovine Brucellosis (Agent AB)
- Caprina Brucellosis (Agent AM)
- Agent US was in advanced development by the end of the Second World War.
- When the USAF wanted a biological warfare capability, the Chemical Corps offered agent US in the M114 bomblet, based after the 4-pound bursting bomblet developed for anthrax in the Second World War.
- Though the capability was developed, operational testing indicated that the weapon was less than desirable, and the USAF termed it an interim capability until replaced by a more effective biological weapon.
- The main drawbacks of the M114 with agent US was that it was incapacitating (the USAF wanted "killer" agents), the storage stability was too low to allow for storing at forward air bases, and the logistical requirements to neutralize a target were far higher than originally anticipated, requiring unreasonable logistical air support.
- Agents US and AB:
- Had a median infective dose of 500 org/person, and AM was 300 org/person.
- The rate-of-action was believed to be 2 weeks, with a duration of action of several months.
- The lethality estimate was based on epidemiological information at 1- 2%.
- Agent AM was always believed to be a more virulent disease, and a 3% fatality rate was expected.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Brucellosis. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brucellosis. Accessed on February 1, 2016