title: High Incidence of Respiratory Involvement in a Cluster of Brucella suis-Infected Workers from a Pork Processing Plant in Argentina.
abstract: Epidemiological and clinical aspects of Brucella suis infection in 17 workers from a pork processing plant in Argentina occurring between January 2014 and July 2015 are presented. All patients reported working 9 h daily without adequate personal protection garment. Blood cultures were positive for Brucella spp. in 14 of the 17 patients (82.3%). All isolates were identified as B. suis biovar 1. Although fever, sweats, asthenia, myalgia and hepatic involvement were the most frequent clinical manifestations, an unusually high incidence of respiratory involvement was found. From 13 patients in which chest radiography was performed, four (30%) had radiological abnormalities, including lobar pneumonia in two cases (one with pleural effusion) and interstitial involvement in other two. The high frequency of respiratory involvement in our series makes necessary to consider brucellosis in the differential diagnosis of respiratory diseases in pork processing plant employees.
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wallach
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Cardinali
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Seijo
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Benchetrit
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Echazarreta
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Garro
authors.affiliation: 'Francisco J. Muñiz' Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Deodato
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral (IDEHU, CONICET-UBA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Baldi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D041021:Brucella suis; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013552:Swine
keywords: 
  Brucella suis
  ; abattoirs; brucellosis; personal protective equipment; pig; pulmonary