Introduction: Brucellosis, also known as undulant fever, Mediterranean fever or Malta fever, is Gram-negative coccobacilli, nonflagellated, non-spore-forming and is a zoonotic infection which is almost invariably transmitted by direct or indirect contact with infected animals or their products (untreated milk and milk products). Of the three species causing human infection, B. melitensis is the most pathogenic followed by B. suis and B. abortus. The incubation period of brucellosis is usually one to three weeks, but sometimes may be several months. The illness may be mild and self-limiting or severe. The disease is accompanied by continued, intermittent, or irregular fever such as malaise, anorexia and prostration and which, in the absence of specific treatment, may persist for weeks or months, also headache, weight loss, and generalized aching and fatigue can be observed. Urogenital symptoms may dominate the clinical presentation in some patients. The outbreaks are seen in many parts of the world especially in the Mediterranean countries of Europe, North and East Africa, the Middle East, South and Central Asia and Central and South America and yet it is often unrecognized and frequently goes unreported.


