title: Isolation and Identification of Brucella melitensis Biovar 3 from Vaccinated Small Ruminants: A Public Health Threat in Kosovo.
abstract: In 2011, a human brucellosis case with severe clinical symptoms was reported at the University Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Prishtina, Kosovo. A trace-back investigation was conducted to find the source of human infection. A total of 49 blood samples and 15 corresponding milk samples from sheep and goats raised on the patient's farm were taken for serological and molecular analysis. Serology using RBT and CFT revealed 11 positive animals. Twelve milk samples were PCR positive. A Brucella strain isolated from a goat's milk sample was classified as Brucella melitensis biovar 3, indicating the first ever isolation and report in Kosovo. The use of the Bruce-ladder PCR provided differentiation between the field strain and the vaccine strain. Hence, the accidental transmission of the vaccine strain Rev 1 that was previously used for the vaccination of the farm animals could be excluded. The findings of this study show that brucellosis is still a public health threat in Kosovo despite control measures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo. afrim.hamidi@uni-pr.edu.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamidi
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mayer-Scholl
authors.affiliation: University Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dreshaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sylejmani
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Prishtina, Kosovo.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ramadani
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Dahouk
authors.affiliation: Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nöckler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002004:Brucella Vaccine; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging; D006041:Goats / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D063826:Kosovo; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D008892:Milk / Q000382:microbiology; D011634:Public Health; D012418:Ruminants; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D002004:Brucella Vaccine
keywords: 
  B. melitensis
  ; Brucella infection; Kosovo; human brucellosis; sheep and goat