Susceptibility of Avian Species to Brucella Infection: A Hypothesis-Driven Study
Gamal Wareth,
Ahmed Kheimar,
Heinrich Neubauer,
Falk Melzer
Affiliations
Gamal Wareth
National/OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
Ahmed Kheimar
Department of Poultry Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt
Heinrich Neubauer
National/OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
Falk Melzer
National/OIE Reference Laboratory for Brucellosis, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Institute of Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
Brucellosis is a highly contagious bacterial disease affecting a wide range of animals, as well as humans. The existence of the clinically diagnosed brucellosis in avian species is controversially discussed. In the current study, we set to summarize the current knowledge on the presence of brucellae in avian species. Anti-Brucella antibodies were monitored in different avian species using classical diagnostic tools. Experimental infection of chicken embryos induced the disease and resulted in the development of specific lesions. Few empirical studies have been performed in adult poultry. However, the isolation of brucellae from naturally-infected chickens has not been possible yet.
