Brucellosis Case Definition
Case Definitions taken from MMWR May 02, 1997 / 46(RR10);1-55
Clinical description
An illness characterized by acute or insidious onset of fever, night sweats, undue fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, headache, and arthralgia
Laboratory criteria for diagnosis
- Isolation of Brucella sp. from a clinical specimen, or
- Fourfold or greater rise in Brucella agglutination titer between acute- and convalescent-phase serum specimens obtained greater than or equal to 2 weeks apart and studied at the same laboratory, or
- Demonstration by immunofluorescence of Brucella sp. in a clinical specimen
Case classification
Probable: a clinically compatible case that is epidemiologically linked to a confirmed case or that has supportive serology (i.e., Brucella agglutination titer of greater than or equal to 160 in one or more serum specimens obtained after onset of symptoms)
Confirmed: a clinically compatible case that is laboratory confirmed
Page last reviewed March 24, 2005
Page last modified February 1, 2001
Content Source:
- Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CCID)
National Center for Zoonotic. Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (NCZVED)
Division of Foodborne, Bacterial, and Mycotic Diseases (DFBMD)