National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Brucellosis


Other Names:
Malta fever; Undulant fever; Rock fever; Malta fever; Undulant fever; Rock fever; Gibraltar fever; Cyprus fever See More
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Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that spreads from animals to people via unpasteurized dairy products or by exposure to contaminated animal products or infected animals.[1][2] Animals that are most commonly infected include sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, and dogs. Brucellosis can cause of range of signs and symptoms, some of which may persist or recur. Initial symptoms may include fever, sweats, malaise, anorexia, headache, fatigue, and/or pain in the muscles, joints, and/or back. Symptoms that may persist or recur include fevers, arthritis, swelling of the testicle and scrotum, swelling of the heart (endocarditis), neurologic symptoms (in up to 5% of cases), chronic fatigue, depression, and/or swelling of the liver or spleen. People who are in jobs or settings that increase exposure to the bacteria are at increased risk for infection. Antibiotics are used to treat brucellosis.[1] Recovery may take a few weeks to several months, and relapses are common.[1][2] Death from brucellosis is rare, occurring in no more than 2% of cases.[1]
Last updated: 12/12/2014
The long-term outlook (prognosis) for most people with brucellosis is generally very good. With early treatment (within the first few months of onset), it is very curable with a low risk of relapse or chronic disease.

It is not uncommon for a person to have recurrence of symptoms, and sometimes this evolves into chronic brucellosis, which may be progressive if untreated. Chronic brucellosis may continue to trouble an affected person for as long as 25 years, but this is reportedly quite rare. The likelihood of recurrence is higher in people who are not treated, or who are not treated adequately. However, recurrence is possible even in properly treated people.

The overall mortality rate in both acute and chronic cases is very low - probably less than 2%. When death occurs, it is usually due to either the rare instance of associated endocarditis, or severe neurological involvement (often as a complication of endocarditis). The prognosis is known to be poor for people with brucellosis who present with congestive heart failure due to endocarditis. In these cases, the mortality rate is close to 85%.[3]

You can view additional information about the prognosis for people with brucellosis on Medscape's Web site.



Last updated: 12/12/2014

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Brucellosis. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • MayoClinic.com has an information page on Brucellosis.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.
  • The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a fact sheet about Brucellosis provided by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). Click on the link to view this fact sheet.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Brucellosis. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know. Submit a new question

  • I was diagnosed with brucellosis in 1987. Each year I have had recurring bouts. Never as high a fever as I did in 1987 but I do have fever, cold chills, aching joints, stiff neck and headaches. I would like to know what, if any, long term effects brucellosis has on my body. I am 65 now and since I retired I have read a lot about brucellosis. I have discovered that it can be more serious than I was lead to believe in 1987. See answer


  1. Brucellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 12, 2012; http://www.cdc.gov/brucellosis/. Accessed 12/12/2014.
  2. Brucellosis. Mayo Clinic. January 2, 2014; http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/brucellosis/basics/definition/con-20028263. Accessed 12/12/2014.
  3. Wafa Al-Nassir. Brucellosis. Medscape Reference. March 10, 2014; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/213430-overview. Accessed 12/12/2014.