Outbreak of laboratory-acquired Brucella abortus in Brazil: a case report

Human brucellosis is an occupational disease affecting workers in slaughterhouses, butcher shops and the milk and dairy product industry as well as individuals who work in clinical or research laboratories. We report the first outbreak of a Brucella abortus infection in a Brazilian laboratory and co...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ana Luisa Calixto Rodrigues, Stephanie Kneipp Lopes da Silva, Barbara Luiza Alves Pinto, Jane Braga da Silva, Unai Tupinambas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2013-12-01
Series:Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
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Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822013000600791&lng=en&tlng=en
Description
Summary:Human brucellosis is an occupational disease affecting workers in slaughterhouses, butcher shops and the milk and dairy product industry as well as individuals who work in clinical or research laboratories. We report the first outbreak of a Brucella abortus infection in a Brazilian laboratory and compare the data obtained with reports available in the literature. Exposure was a result of damage to a biological safety cabinet and failure of the unidirectional airflow ventilation system. An epidemiological investigation identified 3 seroconverted individuals, 1 of whom had clinical manifestations and laboratory results compatible with infection at the time of exposure (n=11; attack rate=9.1%).
ISSN:1678-9849