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The purpose of this research was to detect Brucellosis in female dairy cattle in Turen District, Malang Regency. A total of 78 samples were used in this research taken from 351 total population of female dairy cattle that have been calculated based on the slovin formula. The methods used in this research were Rose Bengal Test (RBT) for the screening test and continued with Complement Fixation Test (CFT) for the confirmation test. The results RBT of this research clearly showed that positive results from 10 samples were confirmed as a final diagnostic test of Brucellosis using CFT. CFT showed a positive result from 9 samples and negative in 1 sample. The percentage of Brucellosis occurrence in the Turen District was recorded at 11.5%. Moreover, Turen District also became an area with a high Brucellosis occurrence (>2%).

Brucellosis is a zoonosis of economic and public health concern. While most diagnostic tests for brucellosis can only be performed in the laboratory, the Fluorescence Polarization Assay (FPA) was developed as a rapid point-of-care field test. This pilot project aimed to validate the use of FPA for rapid diagnosis of ruminant brucellosis on the field, and to compare the FPA performance with that of the more commonly used Rose Bengal Test (RBT). Blood samples were first collected from ruminants in a livestock market, and later from a nearby slaughterhouse in Port Bouët, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Samples collected in the livestock market were processed and tested with the FPA in a central laboratory, while samples collected in the slaughterhouse were processed immediately and the FPA was performed on site. To assess the FPA intra-test agreement, a portion of the serum samples tested at the slaughterhouse were re-tested with the FPA in the laboratory later the same day. To assess inter-test agreement, all serum samples were retested with the RBT. A total of 232 samples were tested with the FPA, 106 and 126 from the livestock market and slaughterhouse, respectively. Of these, 26 tested positive and 39 were doubtful for brucellosis. The FPA was repeated on 28 of the samples collected at the slaughterhouse, and comparison of results indicated a moderate intra-test agreement (Kappa = 0.41). The agreement improved when the doubtful category was treated as negative (Kappa = 0.65), and when cattle were excluded (Kappa = 0.56 to 0.61). The RBT was performed on 229 samples, and of these 10 tested positive. A comparison of FPA and RBT results indicated poor agreement (Kappa = 0.00); this improved to slight when only samples taken at the livestock market and tested in the laboratory were considered (Kappa = 0.14). The FPA did not perform well in tropical field conditions, possibly due to the high ambient temperatures in the slaughterhouse. Moreover, a difference in performance was noted in relation to the species tested, whereby the FPA seemed to perform better on sheep and goat samples, compared to cattle samples. These findings highlight that further adjustments are needed before implementing the FPA on the field.

BACKGROUND One of the most common causes of fever with back pain in India is brucellosis along with tuberculosis infection of the spinal cord and vertebral column. Brucellosis is a multisystem infection with a broad-spectrum of clinical presentations. Its nervous system involvement is known as neurobrucellosis is complication of brucellosis occurring in 0 to 25% and can present as meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis-radiculoneuritis, brain abscess, peripheral neuropathy and psychosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this case study, we present a 54-year-old male patient a cattle worker with unexplained back pain. Appropriate blood investigations, CSF analysis and MRI scan were taken towards the cause of the diagnosis. RESULTS CSF analysis showed lymphocyte pleocytosis with agglutination in Rose Bengal test. MRI diagnostic of neurobrucellosis revealed anterosuperior osteophyte inflammations, namely Pedro Pons’ sign or Pom’s sign. CONCLUSION Through this case report, we would like to notify that neurobrucellosis should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis and not to be missed as it is treatable. In such conditions, patient has to be treated with two or more antimicrobials such as rifampicin, co-trimoxazole and doxycycline in order to achieve complete cure rate and to prevent relapse.

In a herd of 20 sheep in Sweden, a country where brucellosis has never been diagnosed in sheep or goats, a total of six sheep were found serologically positive to Brucella melitensis in two different rounds of sampling. Yersinia enterocolitica serotype O:9 could at the time of the second sampling be isolated from four sheep, one of them at the same time serologically positive for B. melitensis. The article describes the case and gives some background information on brucellosis and Y. enterocolitica in general as well as a more specific description of the Swedish surveillance program for B. melitensisand the test procedures used. The problem with falsepositive reactions, in particular its implications for surveillance programs in low prevalence or officially brucellosis-free countries, is discussed.(Published: 11 December 2012) Keywords: brucellosis; false-positive reactions; Rose Bengal Test; Complement Fixation Test; Yersinia enterocoliticaCitation: Infection Ecology and Epidemiology 2012, 2: 19027 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/iee.v2i0.19027

The aim of the present study was to analyse the diagnostic yield of the rose Bengal test for the rapid diagnosis of human brucellosis in an emergency department in an area where the disease is endemic. The study included 711 patients diagnosed initially with brucellosis and 270 controls. Brucellosis patients were divided into three groups: group I, individuals with no regular exposure to or history of brucellosis; group II, individuals exposed repeatedly to Brucella infection; and group III, individuals infected with Brucella who had received appropriate treatment during the previous 12 months. Blood cultures were positive for 445 (62.6%) brucellosis patients, while the remaining 266 (37.4%) patients were diagnosed according to clinical and serological criteria. The overall sensitivity of the rose Bengal test was 92.9%. The specificities for groups I, II and III were 94.3%, 91.7% and 76.9%, respectively, with positive likelihood ratios of 16.5, 10.4 and 4.2, respectively. The diagnostic gain after the performance of the rose Bengal test was good or very good in patients with no previous exposure to Brucella or history of brucellosis, but poor in patients who were exposed repeatedly to Brucella or had a history of brucellosis and a low pre-test probability. Use of the rose Bengal test as the sole technique for the diagnosis of brucellosis in endemic areas should be considered very carefully in the context of patients who are exposed repeatedly to Brucella or have a history of brucellosis.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between tear function tests and impression cytology results and the clinical findings in ocular rosacea. METHODS: Patients with a histopathologic and clinical diagnosis of acne rosacea were studied. Ocular examination consisted of best-corrected visual acuity measurement, slitlamp examination, tear break-up time (BUT), basal Schirmer test, and rose Bengal staining. Impression cytology was done two days later. Ocular findings and symptoms were checked and scored. Age-matched controls were assessed using the same parameters. RESULTS: The most frequent symptoms were itching (80%), redness (68%), burning (64%), and photophobia (60%). The most frequent clinical findings were meibomitis (92%), telangiectasis (88%), blepharitis (84%), superficial punctate keratopathy (72%), and hyperemia (60%). Mean tear BUT was 9.6+/-3.1 (SD) seconds (range 5-17 seconds). Mean Schirmer test measured 11.4+/-1.6 mm (SD) (range 8-15 mm). Mean rose Bengal staining scored 1.8+/-0.1. Mean tear BUT, Schirmer test and rose Bengal staining scores were lower in the rosacea group than the control group (p0.05). A significant relation was observed between the stages of impression cytology and the severity of meibomitis (Fisher's test, chi2=9.625, p=0.001). The Schirmer test gave lower results in patients with severe blepharitis (Mann-Whitney U Test, U=180.5, p=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis prevents serious ocular complications and chronic dry eye in rosacea. We suggest that in addition to tear function tests, rose Bengal staining and impression cytology can be successfully used in the early diagnosis of dry eye and in monitoring medical treatment in ocular rosacea. Meibomian glands play an important role in the pathogenesis of the ocular disease.

Brucellosis causes appreciable economic losses in livestock. Examination of milk and tissues from animals in Egypt for Brucella spp. showed increased prevalence rates of serologically reactive animals. All isolates were B. melitensis biovar 3. One Brucella sp. was isolated from milk of serologically nonreactive buffaloes.

Aim To evaluate competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for its suitability as an additional serological test for the diagnosis of animal brucellosis. Methods cELISA, which was developed at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, has been evaluated for its accuracy and suitability as an additional serological test for the diagnosis of animal brucellosis. Samples from naturally and experimentally infected animals and those from Brucella-free flocks and herds were tested. Results Data obtained since 1991 were analyzed from routine surveillance, animals experimentally infected with Brucella, and stored sera to validate cELISA for the detection of antibodies to Brucella in cows, small ruminants, and pigs. The sensitivity of the test ranged from 92.31% to 100%, in comparison with 77.14% to 100% for the complement fix ation test (CFT). Specificities for cELISA, indirect enzymelinked immunosorbent assay, and CFT were greater than 90%. Conclusion cELISA can be used on a variety of animal species, and an added advantage is its suitability for use on poor-quality samples such as those affected by hemolysis.

Sera from sheep and goats in northern Somalia which are exported to countries of the Persian Gulf are systematically checked for brucellosis by local veterinary teams. The standard test used is rapid seroagglutination using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and seropositive animals are not exported. In order to assess the reliability of the serological results, three randomised batches of samples (653 sera), corresponding to an equivalent number of shipments (October and December 1994 and March 1995) were counterchecked. Control RBTs were carried out by expatriate veterinarians working on behalf of international non-governmental organisations and by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Padua, Italy, which also performed the complement fixation test (CFT). A fourth batch (n = 100), including a group of sera found positive by the local veterinary teams, was also checked. Agreement ranged from 96.3% to 98.5%.