Araj G F
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, American University of Beirut-Medical Center, Lebanon.
Clin Lab Sci. 1999 Jul-Aug;12(4):207-12.
Although brucellosis and its means of transmission were discovered over 100 years ago, the disease remains a world-wide problem, predominantly so in developing countries. Brucellosis has been an emerging disease since the discovery of B. melitensis by Bruce in 1887. The diagnosis of brucellosis can be challenging since its presentation can affect any body organ and system and can overlap that of a wide spectrum of infectious and non-infectious diseases. Routine biochemical and hematological laboratory tests also overlap with those of many other diseases. Thus, brucella-specific tests are the most helpful in the diagnosis. Tests ranging from culture to serodiagnostic tests such as slide or tube agglutination and its indirect Coombs extension, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and indirect fluorescent assays, to the recent molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction are available. Knowledge about the advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of these tests are essential for the proper interpretation of their results, in relation to the history and clinical presentation of the individual being investigated. This update article addresses these and other issues related to this classical infectious disease that remains a diagnostic challenge, especially to the unaware.
尽管布鲁氏菌病及其传播方式在100多年前就已被发现，但该疾病仍然是一个全球性问题，在发展中国家尤为突出。自1887年布鲁斯发现羊种布鲁氏菌以来，布鲁氏菌病一直是一种新发疾病。布鲁氏菌病的诊断可能具有挑战性，因为其临床表现可累及身体的任何器官和系统，且可能与多种感染性和非感染性疾病的表现重叠。常规生化和血液学实验室检查结果也与许多其他疾病的检查结果重叠。因此，布鲁氏菌特异性检查对诊断最有帮助。从培养到血清学诊断检查，如玻片或试管凝集试验及其间接库姆斯试验扩展、酶联免疫吸附测定和间接荧光测定，再到最近的分子技术如聚合酶链反应，各种检查方法都有。了解这些检查的优点、缺点和局限性，对于根据被调查个体的病史和临床表现正确解读其结果至关重要。这篇更新文章探讨了与这种仍然是诊断难题、尤其是对不了解情况者而言的经典传染病相关的这些及其他问题。
