A family cluster of Brucella abortus infections possibly due to contact with a sika deer in Northeast China
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases worldwide. Although deer are reportedly infected by Brucella spp., deer-associated brucellosis cases have been rare. In this study, two patients in Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China, were diagnosed with brucellosis. They have contacted a sick sika deer before onset which was bought from another province, but have no contact with other infection sources. Molecular genotyping indicated that both were infected with Brucella abortus. This might be the first human cases caused by deer-associated B. abortus strains despite the frequent reports of B. abortus in deer. The role of deer in the transmission of B. abortus should be taken into consideration.
Source: Future Microbiology
Authors: Kun Li, Dawei Cheng, Zhifeng Xing, Yu Fan, Qingqing Xu, Xueying Chen, Meinan Li, Hongyan Zhao, Dongri Piao, Hai Jiang
Institution: Chinese Center For Disease Control and Prevention
Language: English
Subfield: Small Animals
Field: Veterinary
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Award: G3536140842
OpenAlex ID: W4408617339