Implications of laboratory diagnosis on brucellosis therapy

References

• Yagupsky P, Baron EJ. Laboratory exposures to brucellae and implications for bioterrorism. Emerg. Infect. Dis.11(8), 1180–1185 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Godfroid J, Cloeckaert A, Liautard JP et al. From the discovery of the Malta fever’s agent to the discovery of a marine mammal reservoir, brucellosis has continuously been a re-emerging zoonosis. Vet. Res.36(3), 313–326 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Foster G, Osterman BS, Godfroid J, Jacques I, Cloeckaert A. Brucella ceti sp. nov. and Brucella pinnipedialis sp. nov. for Brucella strains with cetaceans and seals as their preferred hosts. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol.57(11), 2688–2693 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Scholz HC, Hubalek Z, Sedlácek I et al. Brucella microti sp. nov., isolated from the common vole Microtus arvalis. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol.58(2), 375–382 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Scholz HC, Hofer E, Vergnaud G et al. Isolation of Brucella microti from mandibular lymph nodes of red foxes, Vulpes vulpes, in lower Austria. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis.9(2), 153–156 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Scholz HC, Hubalek Z, Nesvadbova J et al. Isolation of Brucella microti from soil. Emerg. Infect. Dis.14(8), 1316–1317 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Scholz HC, Nöckler K, Göllner C et al. Brucella inopinata sp. nov., isolated from a breast implant infection. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol.60(4), 801–808 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Tiller RV, Gee JE, Frace MA et al. Characterization of novel Brucella strains originating from wild native rodent species in North Queensland, Australia. Appl. Environ. Microbiol.76(17), 5837–5845 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Schlabritz-Loutsevitch NE, Whatmore AM, Quance CR et al. A novel Brucella isolate in association with two cases of stillbirth in non-human primates – first report. J. Med. Primatol.38(1), 70–73 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Tiller RV, Gee JE, Lonsway DR et al. Identification of an unusual Brucella strain (BO2) from a lung biopsy in a 52 year-old patient with chronic destructive pneumonia. BMC Microbiol.10, 23 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• World Health Organization. Fact sheet N173. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland (1997).
   Google Scholar
• Pappas G, Papadimitriou P, Akritidis N, Christou L, Tsianos EV. The new global map of human brucellosis. Lancet Infect. Dis.6(2), 91–99 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Pappas G, Akritidis N, Bosilkovski M, Tsianos E. Brucellosis. N. Engl. J. Med.352(22), 2325–2336 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lucero NE, Ayala SM, Escobar GI, Jacob NR. Brucella isolated in humans and animals in Latin America from 1968 to 2006. Epidemiol. Infect.136(4), 496–503 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Refai M. Incidence and control of brucellosis in the Near East region. Vet. Microbiol.90(1–4), 81–110 (2002).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wolfram JH, Butaev MK, Duysheev A et al. Brucellosis: a transboundary zoonotic disease. Epidemiology chapter. Vaccine28(Suppl. 5), F77–F84 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• McDermott JJ, Arimi SM. Brucellosis in sub-Saharan Africa: epidemiology, control and impact. Vet. Microbiol.90(1–4), 111–134 (2002).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Taleski V, Zerva L, Kantardjiev T et al. An overview of the epidemiology and epizootology of brucellosis in selected countries of Central and Southeast Europe. Vet. Microbiol.90(1–4), 147–155 (2002).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Memish ZA, Balkhy HH. Brucellosis and international travel. J. Travel Med.11(1), 49–55 (2004).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Marcotty T, Matthys F, Godfroid J et al. Zoonotic tuberculosis and brucellosis in Africa: neglected zoonoses or minor public-health issues? The outcomes of a multi-disciplinary workshop. Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol.103(5), 401–411 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Godfroid J, Käsbohrer A. Brucellosis in the European Union and Norway at the turn of the twenty-first century. Vet. Microbiol.90(1–4), 135–145 (2002).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Godfroid J. Brucellosis in wildlife. Rev. Sci. Tech.21(2), 277–286 (2002).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gwida M, Al Dahouk S, Melzer F, Rösler U, Neubauer H, Tomaso H. Brucellosis – regionally emerging zoonotic disease? Croat. Med. J.51(4), 289–295 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Colmenero JD, Reguera JM, Martos F et al. Complications associated with Brucella melitensis infection: a study of 530 cases. Medicine (Baltimore) 75(4), 195–211 (1996).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Buzgan T, Karahocagil MK, Irmak H et al. Clinical manifestations and complications in 1028 cases of brucellosis: a retrospective evaluation and review of the literature. Int. J. Infect. Dis.14(6), e469–e478 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Neubauer H, Hensel A et al. Changing epidemiology of human brucellosis, Germany, 1962–2005. Emerg. Infect. Dis.13(12), 1895–1900 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ariza J, Bosilkovski M, Cascio A et al.; International Society of Chemotherapy; Institute of Continuing Medical Education of Ioannina. Perspectives for the treatment of brucellosis in the 21st century: the Ioannina recommendations. PLoS Med.4(12), e317 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Corbel MJ. Treatment of human brucellosis. In: Brucellosis in Humans and Animals (Chapter 5). Corbel MJ, Elberg SS, Cosivi O (Eds). World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, 36–41 (2006).
   Google Scholar
• Skalsky K, Yahav D, Bishara J, Pitlik S, Leibovici L, Paul M. Treatment of human brucellosis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ336(7646), 701–704 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Solera J. Update on brucellosis: therapeutic challenges. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents36(Suppl. 1), S18–S20 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Tomaso H, Nöckler K, Neubauer H, Frangoulidis D. Laboratory-based diagnosis of brucellosis – a review of the literature. Part I: techniques for direct detection and identification of Brucella spp. Clin. Lab.49(9–10), 487–505 (2003).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Yagupsky P. Detection of brucellae in blood cultures. J. Clin. Microbiol.37(11), 3437–3442 (1999).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Memish Z, Mah MW, Al Mahmoud S, Al Shaalan M, Khan MY. Brucella bacteraemia: clinical and laboratory observations in 160 patients. J. Infect.40(1), 59–63 (2000).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Kadanali A, Ozden K, Altoparlak U, Erturk A, Parlak M. Bacteremic and nonbacteremic brucellosis: clinical and laboratory observations. Infection37(1), 67–69 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Espinosa BJ, Chacaltana J, Mulder M et al. Comparison of culture techniques at different stages of brucellosis. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.80(4), 625–627 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Franco MP, Mulder M, Gilman RH, Smits HL. Human brucellosis. Lancet Infect. Dis.7(12), 775–786 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gotuzzo E, Carrillo C, Guerra J, Llosa L. An evaluation of diagnostic methods for brucellosis – the value of bone marrow culture. J. Infect. Dis.153(1), 122–125 (1986).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mantur BG, Mulimani MS, Bidari LH, Akki AS, Tikare NV. Bacteremia is as unpredictable as clinical manifestations in human brucellosis. Int. J. Infect. Dis.12(3), 303–307 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Baysallar M, Aydogan H, Kilic A, Kucukkaraaslan A, Senses Z, Doganci L. Evaluation of the BacT/ALERT and BACTEC 9240 automated blood culture systems for growth time of Brucella species in a Turkish tertiary hospital. Med. Sci. Monit.12(7), BR235–BR238 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Cetin ES, Kaya S, Demirci M, Aridogan BC. Comparison of the BACTEC blood culture system versus conventional methods for culture of normally sterile body fluids. Adv. Ther.24(6), 1271–1277 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mantur BG, Bidari LH, Akki AS, Mulimani MS, Tikare NV. Diagnostic yield of blood clot culture in the accurate diagnosis of enteric fever and human brucellosis. Clin. Lab.53(1–2), 57–61 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mantur BG, Mangalgi SS. Evaluation of conventional Castañeda and lysis centrifugation blood culture techniques for diagnosis of human brucellosis. J. Clin. Microbiol.42(9), 4327–4328 (2004).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Yagupsky P. Use of the BACTEC Myco/F Lytic medium for detection of Brucella melitensis bacteremia. J. Clin. Microbiol.42(5), 2207–2208 (2004).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rovery C, Rolain JM, Raoult D, Brouqui P. Shell vial culture as a tool for isolation of Brucella melitensis in chronic hepatic abscess. J. Clin. Microbiol.41(9), 4460–4461 (2003).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Alton GG, Jones LM, Angus RD, Verger JM. Techniques for the Brucellosis Laboratory. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Paris, France (1988).
   Google Scholar
• Barham WB, Church P, Brown JE, Paparello S. Misidentification of Brucella species with use of rapid bacterial identification systems. Clin. Infect. Dis.17(6), 1068–1069 (1993).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Elsaghir AA, James EA. Misidentification of Brucella melitensis as Ochrobactrum anthropi by API 20 NE. J. Med. Microbiol.52(5), 441–442 (2003).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Scholz HC, Tomaso H et al. Differential phenotyping of Brucella species using a newly developed semi-automated metabolic system. BMC Microbiol.10, 269 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rich M, Bannatyne RM, Memish ZA. Direct urease test on BACTEC blood cultures: early presumptive diagnosis of brucellosis in an area of endemicity. J. Clin. Microbiol.38(4), 1706 (2000).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Rich M, Memish ZA. Presumptive diagnosis of brucellosis from contaminated blood cultures in an area of endemicity. Br. J. Biomed. Sci.61(2), 93–94 (2004).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Wellinghausen N, Nöckler K, Sigge A, Bartel M, Essig A, Poppert S. Rapid detection of Brucella spp. in blood cultures by fluorescence in situ hybridization. J. Clin. Microbiol.44(5), 1828–1830 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Qu Q, Zhu Z, Wang Y et al. Rapid and quantitative detection of Brucella by up-converting phosphor technology-based lateral-flow assay. J. Microbiol. Methods79(1), 121–123 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Nöckler K, Scholz HC, Tomaso H, Bogumil R, Neubauer H. Immunoproteomic characterization of Brucella abortus 1119-3 preparations used for the serodiagnosis of Brucella infections. J. Immunol. Methods309(1–2), 34–47 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ferreira L, Vega Castaño S, Sánchez-Juanes F et al. Identification of Brucella by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Fast and reliable identification from agar plates and blood cultures. PLoS ONE5(12), e14235 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ariza J, Bosch J, Gudiol F, Liñares J, Viladrich PF, Martín R. Relevance of in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility of Brucella melitensis to relapse rate in human brucellosis. Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.30(6), 958–960 (1986).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Tomaso H, Nöckler K, Neubauer H, Frangoulidis D. Laboratory-based diagnosis of brucellosis – a review of the literature. Part II: serological tests for brucellosis. Clin. Lab.49(11–12), 577–589 (2003).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Ariza J, Pellicer T, Pallarés R, Foz A, Gudiol F. Specific antibody profile in human brucellosis. Clin. Infect. Dis.14(1), 131–140 (1992).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Casanova A, Ariza J, Rubio M, Masuet C, Díaz R. Brucellacapt versus classical tests in the serological diagnosis and management of human brucellosis. Clin. Vaccine Immunol.16(6), 844–851 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bosilkovski M, Katerina S, Zaklina S, Ivan V. The role of Brucellacapt test for follow-up patients with brucellosis. Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Infect. Dis.33(5), 435–442 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lucero NE, Escobar GI, Ayala SM, Jacob N. Diagnosis of human brucellosis caused by Brucella canis. J. Med. Microbiol.54(5), 457–461 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Araj GF. Update on laboratory diagnosis of human brucellosis. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents36(Suppl. 1), 12–17 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Konstantinidis A, Minas A, Pournaras S et al. Evaluation and comparison of fluorescence polarization assay with three of the currently used serological tests in diagnosis of human brucellosis. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis.26(10), 715–721 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Lucero NE, Escobar GI, Ayala SM, Silva Paulo P, Nielsen K. Fluorescence polarization assay for diagnosis of human brucellosis. J. Med. Microbiol.52(10), 883–887 (2003).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Ruiz-Mesa JD, Sánchez-Gonzalez J, Reguera JM, Martín L, Lopez-Palmero S, Colmenero JD. Rose Bengal test: diagnostic yield and use for the rapid diagnosis of human brucellosis in emergency departments in endemic areas. Clin. Microbiol. Infect.11(3), 221–225 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Sharma R, Chisnall C, Cooke RP. Evaluation of in-house and commercial immunoassays for the sero-diagnosis of brucellosis in a non-endemic low prevalence population. J. Infect.56(2), 108–113 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Zeytinoğlu A, Turhan A, Altuğlu I, Bilgiç A, Abdoel TH, Smits HL. Comparison of Brucella immunoglobulin M and G flow assays with serum agglutination and 2-mercaptoethanol tests in the diagnosis of brucellosis. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med.44(2), 180–184 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mantur B, Parande A, Amarnath S et al. ELISA versus conventional methods of diagnosing endemic brucellosis. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.83(2), 314–318 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gómez MC, Nieto JA, Rosa C et al. Evaluation of seven tests for diagnosis of human brucellosis in an area where the disease is endemic. Clin. Vaccine Immunol.15(6), 1031–1033 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Roushan MR, Amiri MJ, Laly A, Mostafazadeh A, Bijani A. Follow-up standard agglutination and 2-mercaptoethanol tests in 175 clinically cured cases of human brucellosis. Int. J. Infect. Dis.14(3), e250–e253 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Araj GF, Kattar MM, Fattouh LG, Bajakian KO, Kobeissi SA. Evaluation of the PANBIO Brucella immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for diagnosis of human brucellosis. Clin. Diagn. Lab. Immunol.12(11), 1334–1335 (2005).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Prince HE, Lopez J, Yeh C et al. Performance characteristics of the Euroimmun enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits for Brucella IgG and IgM. Diagn. Microbiol. Infect. Dis.65(2), 99–102 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Díaz R, Ariza J, Alberola I, Casanova A, Rubio MF. Secondary serological response of patients with chronic hepatosplenic suppurative brucellosis. Clin. Vaccine Immunol.13(11), 1190–1196 (2006).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Cakan G, Bezirci FB, Kacka A et al. Assessment of diagnostic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit and serological markers in human brucellosis. Jpn. J. Infect. Dis.61(5), 366–370 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Neubauer H, Tomaso H. Brucella. In: Molecular Detection of Human Bacterial Pathogens (Chapter 54). Liu D (Ed.). Taylor & Francis CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, USA, 629–646 (2011).
   Google Scholar
• Navarro E, Casao MA, Solera J. Diagnosis of human brucellosis using PCR. Expert Rev. Mol. Diagn.4(1), 115–123 (2004).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Colmenero JD, Morata P, Ruiz-Mesa JD et al. Multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction: a practical approach for rapid diagnosis of tuberculous and brucellar vertebral osteomyelitis. Spine35(24), 1392–1396 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Colmenero JD, Queipo-Ortuño MI, Reguera JM, Baeza G, Salazar JA, Morata P. Real time polymerase chain reaction: a new powerful tool for the diagnosis of neurobrucellosis. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry76(7), 1025–1027 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Debeaumont C, Falconnet PA, Maurin M. Real-time PCR for detection of Brucella spp. DNA in human serum samples. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis.24(12), 842–845 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Queipo-Ortuño MI, Colmenero JD, Bermudez P, Bravo MJ, Morata P. Rapid differential diagnosis between extrapulmonary tuberculosis and focal complications of brucellosis using a multiplex real-time PCR assay. PLoS ONE4(2), e4526 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Queipo-Ortuño MI, Colmenero JD, Muñoz N, Baeza G, Clavijo E, Morata P. Rapid diagnosis of Brucella epididymo-orchitis by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay in urine samples. J. Urol.176(5), 2290–2293 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Queipo-Ortuño MI, Colmenero JD, Reguera JM et al. Rapid diagnosis of human brucellosis by SYBR Green I-based real-time PCR assay and melting curve analysis in serum samples. Clin. Microbiol. Infect.11(9), 713–718 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mitka S, Anetakis C, Souliou E, Diza E, Kansouzidou A. Evaluation of different PCR assays for early detection of acute and relapsing brucellosis in humans in comparison with conventional methods. J. Clin. Microbiol.45(4), 1211–1218 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Zerva L, Bourantas K, Mitka S, Kansouzidou A, Legakis NJ. Serum is the preferred clinical specimen for diagnosis of human brucellosis by PCR. J. Clin. Microbiol.39(4), 1661–1664 (2001).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Baily GG, Krahn JB, Drasar BS, Stoker NG. Detection of Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus by DNA amplification. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.95(4), 271–275 (1992).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Nöckler K, Scholz HC, Pfeffer M, Neubauer H, Tomaso H. Evaluation of genus-specific and species-specific real-time PCR assays for the identification of Brucella spp. Clin. Chem. Lab. Med.45(11), 1464–1470 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Gee JE, De BK, Levett PN, Whitney AM, Novak RT, Popovic T. Use of 16S rRNA gene sequencing for rapid confirmatory identification of Brucella isolates. J. Clin. Microbiol.42(8), 3649–3654 (2004).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• García-Yoldi D, Marín CM, de Miguel MJ, Muñoz PM, Vizmanos JL, López-Goñi I. Multiplex PCR assay for the identification and differentiation of all Brucella species and the vaccine strains Brucella abortus S19 and RB51 and Brucella melitensis Rev1. Clin. Chem.52(4), 779–781 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Mayer-Scholl A, Draeger A, Göllner C, Scholz HC, Nöckler K. Advancement of a multiplex PCR for the differentiation of all currently described Brucella species. J. Microbiol. Methods80(1), 112–114 (2010).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• López-Goñi I, García-Yoldi D, Marín CM et al. Evaluation of a multiplex PCR assay (Bruce-ladder) for molecular typing of all Brucella species, including the vaccine strains. J. Clin. Microbiol.46(10), 3484–3487 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Tomaso H, Nöckler K, Neubauer H. The detection of Brucella spp. using PCR-ELISA and real-time PCR assays. Clin. Lab.50(7–8), 387–394 (2004).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Queipo-Ortuño MI, Colmenero JD, Macias M, Bravo MJ, Morata P. Preparation of bacterial DNA template by boiling and effect of immunoglobulin G as an inhibitor in real-time PCR for serum samples from patients with brucellosis. Clin. Vaccine Immunol.15(2), 293–296 (2008).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Maas KS, Méndez M, Zavaleta M et al. Evaluation of brucellosis by PCR and persistence after treatment in patients returning to the hospital for follow-up. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.76(4), 698–702 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Queipo-Ortuño MI, Tena F, Colmenero JD, Morata P. Comparison of seven commercial DNA extraction kits for the recovery of Brucella DNA from spiked human serum samples using real-time PCR. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis.27(2), 109–114 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Vrioni G, Pappas G, Priavali E, Gartzonika C, Levidiotou S. An eternal microbe: Brucella DNA load persists for years after clinical cure. Clin. Infect. Dis.46(12), 131–136 (2008).
   Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Navarro E, Segura JC, Castaño MJ, Solera J. Use of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to monitor the evolution of Brucella melitensis DNA load during therapy and post-therapy follow-up in patients with brucellosis. Clin. Infect. Dis.42(9), 1266–1273 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Bounaadja L, Albert D, Chénais B et al. Real-time PCR for identification of Brucella spp.: a comparative study of IS711, bcsp31 and per target genes. Vet. Microbiol.137(1–2), 156–164 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Hinić V, Brodard I, Thomann A et al. Novel identification and differentiation of Brucella melitensis, B. abortus, B. suis, B. ovis, B. canis, and B. neotomae suitable for both conventional and real-time PCR systems. J. Microbiol. Methods75(2), 375–378 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Castaño MJ, Solera J. Chronic brucellosis and persistence of Brucella melitensis DNA. J. Clin. Microbiol.47(7), 2084–2089 (2009).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Queipo-Ortuño MI, Colmenero JD, Bravo MJ, García-Ordoñez MA, Morata P. Usefulness of a quantitative real-time PCR assay using serum samples to discriminate between inactive, serologically positive and active human brucellosis. Clin. Microbiol. Infect.14(12), 1128–1134 (2008).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Morata P, Queipo-Ortuño MI, Reguera JM, García-Ordoñez MA, Pichardo C, Colmenero JD. Posttreatment follow-up of brucellosis by PCR assay. J. Clin. Microbiol.37(12), 4163–4166 (1999).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Le Flèche P, Jacques I, Grayon M et al. Evaluation and selection of tandem repeat loci for a Brucella MLVA typing assay. BMC Microbiol.6, 9 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Whatmore AM, Shankster SJ, Perrett LL et al. Identification and characterization of variable-number tandem-repeat markers for typing of Brucella spp. J. Clin. Microbiol.44(6), 1982–1993 (2006).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Le Flèche P, Nöckler K et al. Evaluation of Brucella MLVA typing for human brucellosis. J. Microbiol. Methods69(1), 137–145 (2007).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Al Dahouk S, Hagen RM, Nöckler K et al. Failure of a short-term antibiotic therapy for human brucellosis using ciprofloxacin. A study on in vitro susceptibility of Brucella strains. Chemotherapy51(6), 352–356 (2005).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar
• Young EJ. Human brucellosis. Rev. Infect. Dis.5(5), 821–842 (1983).
   PubMedGoogle Scholar
• Özkurt Z, Erol S, Tasyaran MA, Kaya A. Detection of Brucella melitensis by the BacT/Alert automated system and Brucella broth culture. Clin. Microbiol. Infect.8(11), 749–752 (2002).
   PubMed Web of Science ®Google Scholar