title: Laboratory animal models for brucellosis research.
abstract: Brucellosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by Brucella spp., a gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogen that affects humans and animals, leading to significant impact on public health and animal industry. Human brucellosis is considered the most prevalent bacterial zoonosis in the world and is characterized by fever, weight loss, depression, hepato/splenomegaly, osteoarticular, and genital infections. Relevant aspects of Brucella pathogenesis have been intensively investigated in culture cells and animal models. The mouse is the animal model more commonly used to study chronic infection caused by Brucella. This model is most frequently used to investigate specific pathogenic factors of Brucella spp., to characterize the host immune response, and to evaluate therapeutics and vaccines. Other animal species have been used as models for brucellosis including rats, guinea pigs, and monkeys. This paper discusses the murine and other laboratory animal models for human and animal brucellosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Teane M A
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Erica A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Tatiane A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Paixão
authors.forename: Renée M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Tsolis
authors.forename: Renato L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002002:Brucella / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002004:Brucella Vaccine / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D002004:Brucella Vaccine