Expansion of brucellosis detection in the country of Georgia by screening household members of cases and neighboring community members

The Potential of a CT-Based Machine Learning Radiomics Analysis to Differentiate Brucella and Pyogenic Spondylitis

Background

Pyogenic spondylitis (PS) and Brucella spondylitis (BS) are common spinal infections with similar manifestations, making their differentiation challenging. This study aimed to explore the potential of CT-based radiomics features combined with machine learning algorithms to differentiate PS from BS.

Methods

This retrospective study involved the collection of clinical and radiological information from 138 patients diagnosed with either PS or BS in our hospital between January 2017 and December 2022, based on histopathology examination and/or germ isolations. The region of interest (ROI) was defined by two radiologists using a 3D Slicer open-source platform, utilizing blind analysis of sagittal CT images against histopathological examination results. PyRadiomics, a Python package, was utilized to extract ROI features. Several methods were performed to reduce the dimensionality of the extracted features. Machine learning algorithms were trained and evaluated using techniques like the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC; confusion matrix-related metrics, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis to assess their ability to differentiate PS from BS. Additionally, permutation feature importance (PFI; local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME; and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) techniques were utilized to gain insights into the interpretabilities of the models that are otherwise considered opaque black-boxes.

Results

A total of 15 radiomics features were screened during the analysis. The AUC value and Brier score of best the model were 0.88 and 0.13, respectively. The calibration plot and decision curve analysis displayed higher clinical efficiency in the differential diagnosis. According to the interpretation results, the most impactful features on the model output were wavelet LHL small dependence low gray-level emphasis (GLDN).

Conclusion

The CT-based radiomics models that we developed have proven to be useful in reliably differentiating between PS and BS at an early stage and can provide a reliable explanation for the classification results.

Prevalence, diagnosis, and manifestations of brucellosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

Brucellosis is one of the most prevalent zoonotic diseases common between humans and animals. Despite eradication efforts, the burden of the disease is well-known in endemic countries and in countries where brucellosis has not been an important health issue until recently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, diagnosis, and manifestations of brucellosis.

Methods

In this study, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and Google scholar databases were systematically searched to find studies published from 2011 to 2021. The search was conducted using text words and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) Terms on the prevalence of brucellosis. Stata software 14.0 was used for all analyses.

Results

Based on the results, the pooled prevalence of brucellosis was 15.27% (95% CI: 9.68-21.86; heterogeneity I 2 index: 97.43; p < 0.001) for man and 15.33% (95% CI: 7.19-25.75; heterogeneity I 2 index: 98.19; p < 0.001) for woman. Age (coefficient: 0.240; p = 0.480), gender (coefficient: -0.017; p = 0.800), and publication year (coefficient: 0.114; p = 0.861) showed no significant effect on heterogeneity among studies. Egger's test indicated a significant publication bias for the prevalence of brucellosis (coefficient 3.894; p < 0.001). Moreover, the trim-and-fill method exhibited that the adjusted prevalence of brucellosis (18.30%, 95% CI: 14.10-22.52) was not significantly different from the original prevalence of brucellosis.

Conclusion

The pooled estimate for brucellosis prevalence was estimated as 15.53%. To better understand the epidemiology of brucellosis globally, more extensive studies are needed to be conducted throughout the world, especially in developing and low-income countries.

Molecular detection of brucellosis in dromedary camels of Qatar by real-time PCR technique

BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

Brucellosis in livestock causes huge economic loses of developing countries and demonstrates a serious health risks to the patrons of infected dairy goods and meat. Prevention of brucellosis in cattle relies on the trustworthiness of the techniques utilized to detect the causative pathogen. In the current investigation, we described the exploration of the well-known real-time PCR technique based on the Brucella-specific IS711 with different tissue samples of dromedary camels in Qatar.

RESULTS

The findings of the real-time PCR unveiled the occurrence of Brucella spp in 60 % of lung tissues, 71.42 % of liver tissues, 72 % of spleen tissues, 25 % of kidney tissues, and 42.42 % of placental fluid samples. Among them, the liver tissues and spleen tissues possessed the highest number of positive results, whereas kidney tissues displayed the lowest number of positive results for Brucella spp.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this investigation discloses that PCR technique is a sensitive and specific technique for the identification of Brucella spp. in dromedary camels. Most of the tissues samples showed the presence of Brucella spp. and also we concluded that there is a need for further studies to be conducted in order to identify specific species of Brucella.

Dihydroartemisinin inhibits multiplication of Brucella suis vaccine strain 2 in murine microglia BV2 cells via stimulation of caspase‑dependent apoptosis

Brucellosis, caused by a facultative intracellular parasite Brucella species, is the most common bacterial zoonotic infection worldwide. Brucella can survive and proliferate in several phagocytic and non‑phagocytic cell types. Human brucellosis has similar clinical symptoms with systemic diseases, which may lead to delay of diagnosis and increasing of complications. Therefore, investigating the proliferation of Brucella in host cells is important to understand the pathogenesis of the disease. Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a semi‑synthetic derivative of artemisinin, has been recommended by World Health Organization as an anti‑malarial drug. However, there have been few studies regarding its effectiveness against bacteria. In the present study, it was revealed that B. suis vaccine strain 2 (S2) grew in BV2 cells without significant cytotoxicity, and less than 20 µM DHA had no inhibitory effects on BV2 cells. Furthermore, DHA reduced B. suis S2 growth in BV2 cells, and increased the percentage of apoptosis and the expression of cleaved caspase‑3 in B. suis S2‑infected cells. Collectively, the present data indicated that DHA induced the caspase‑dependent apoptotic pathway to inhibit the intracellular B. suis S2 growth.

Highly Sensitive Bacteriophage-Based Detection of Brucella abortus in Mixed Culture and Spiked Blood

For decades, bacteriophages (phages) have been used for Brucella species identification in the diagnosis and epidemiology of brucellosis. Traditional Brucella phage typing is a multi-day procedure including the isolation of a pure culture, a step that can take up to three weeks. In this study, we focused on the use of brucellaphages for sensitive detection of the pathogen in clinical and other complex samples, and developed an indirect method of Brucella detection using real-time quantitative PCR monitoring of brucellaphage DNA amplification via replication on live Brucella cells. This assay allowed the detection of single bacteria (down to 1 colony-forming unit per milliliter) within 72 h without DNA extraction and purification steps. The technique was equally efficient with Brucella abortus pure culture and with mixed cultures of B. abortus and α-proteobacterial near neighbors that can be misidentified as Brucella spp., Ochrobactrum anthropi and Afipia felis. The addition of a simple short sample preparation step enabled the indirect phage-based detection of B. abortus in spiked blood, with the same high sensitivity. This indirect phage-based detection assay enables the rapid and sensitive detection of live B. abortus in mixed cultures and in blood samples, and can potentially be applied for detection in other clinical samples and other complex sample types.

Genome Sequences of Human and Livestock Isolates of Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus from the Country of Georgia

Brucellosis, which is among the most widespread global zoonotic diseases, is endemic in the nation of Georgia and causes substantial human morbidity and economic loss. Here, we report whole-genome sequences of three Brucella melitensis and seven Brucella abortus isolates from cattle, sheep, and humans that represent genetic groups discovered in Georgia.

Molecular Survey of Bacterial Zoonotic Agents in Bats from the Country of Georgia (Caucasus)

Bats are important reservoirs for many zoonotic pathogens. However, no surveys of bacterial pathogens in bats have been performed in the Caucasus region. To understand the occurrence and distribution of bacterial infections in these mammals, 218 bats belonging to eight species collected from four regions of Georgia were examined for Bartonella, Brucella, Leptospira, and Yersinia using molecular approaches. Bartonella DNA was detected in 77 (35%) bats from all eight species and was distributed in all four regions. The prevalence ranged 6–50% per bat species. The Bartonella DNA represented 25 unique genetic variants that clustered into 21 lineages. Brucella DNA was detected in two Miniopterus schreibersii bats and in two Myotis blythii bats, all of which were from Imereti (west-central region). Leptospira DNA was detected in 25 (13%) bats that included four M. schreibersii bats and 21 M. blythii bats collected from two regions. The Leptospira sequences represented five genetic variants with one of them being closely related to the zoonotic pathogen L. interrogans (98.6% genetic identity). No Yersinia DNA was detected in the bats. Mixed infections were observed in several cases. One M. blythii bat and one M. schreibersii bat were co-infected with Bartonella, Brucella, and Leptospira; one M. blythii bat and one M. schreibersii bat were co-infected with Bartonella and Brucella; 15 M. blythii bats and three M. schreibersii bats were co-infected with Bartonella and Leptospira. Our results suggest that bats in Georgia are exposed to multiple bacterial infections. Further studies are needed to evaluate pathogenicity of these agents to bats and their zoonotic potential.

Epidemiological and Clinical Features of Brucellosis in the Country of Georgia

BACKGROUND

Brucellosis is an endemic disease in the country of Georgia. According to the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia (NCDC), the average annual number of brucellosis cases was 161 during 2008-2012. However, the true number of cases is thought to be higher due to underreporting. The aim of this study was to provide current epidemiological and clinical information and evaluate diagnostic methods used for brucellosis in Georgia.

METHODOLOGY

Adult patients were eligible for participation if they met the suspected or probable case definition for brucellosis. After consent participants were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, epidemiology, history of present illness, and clinical manifestation. For the diagnosis of brucellosis, culture and serological tests were used.

RESULTS

A total of 81 participants were enrolled, of which 70 (86%) were from rural areas. Seventy-four percent of participants reported consuming unpasteurized milk products and 62% consuming undercooked meat products before symptom onset. Forty-one participants were positive by the Wright test and 33 (41%) were positive by blood culture. There was perfect agreement between the Huddelston and Wright tests (k = 1.0). Compared with blood culture (the diagnostic gold standard), ELISA IgG and total ELISA (IgG + IgM), the Wright test had fair (k = 0.12), fair (k = 0.24), and moderate (k = 0.52) agreement, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumption of unpasteurized milk products and undercooked meat were among the most common risk factors in brucellosis cases. We found poor agreement between ELISA tests and culture results. This report also serves as an initial indication that the suspected case definition for brucellosis surveillance purposes needs revision. Further research is needed to characterize the epidemiology and evaluate the performance of the diagnostic methods for brucellosis in Georgia.

Brucellosis as a neglected disease in a neglected population: a seroepidemiological study of migratory nomads in the Fars province of Iran

This study assessed the seroprevalence of brucellosis and its risk factors in migratory nomads in the Fars province of Iran. Active brucellosis was defined as the combination of clinical symptoms, including fever, chills, night sweats, headache, low back pain, arthralgia, or myalgia, and positive laboratory testing, including either a serum agglutination test (SAT) ⩾1:80 with a 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) test ⩾1:40, or a SAT <1:80 combined with a positive Coombs Wright test (CWT) at a titre of at least threefold higher than SAT titre results. For the 536 participants, the female (316, 59%) to male (220, 41%) ratio was 1·4 and the participants' mean age was 32·4 ± 18·9 (range 1-96) years. Of all participants, 325 (60·6%) showed clinical symptoms; in symptomatic participants, the Rose Bengal plate test was positive in 33 (6·1%) cases, the SAT was positive in 18 (3·3%) cases, and the 2-ME test was positive in 30 (5·5%) cases. Positive SAT and 2-ME results were seen in 18 (3·3%) cases, but a negative SAT and a positive CWT were found in 36 (6·7%) cases. As a result, active brucellosis was detected in 54 cases, indicating a prevalence of 10% (95% confidence interval 8-12). In conclusion, we determined that brucellosis is a prevalent yet neglected disease in this nomadic population. Brucellosis control is not possible as long as these high-risk populations remain neglected.

Applying Science: Opportunities to Inform Disease Management Policy with Cooperative Research within a One Health Framework

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the current saiga antelope die off in Kazakhstan each represent very real and difficult to manage public or veterinary health crises. They also illustrate the importance of stable and funded surveillance and sound policy for intervention or disease control. While these two events highlight extreme cases of infectious disease (Ebola) or (possible) environmental exposure (saiga), diseases such as anthrax, brucellosis, tularemia, and plague are all zoonoses that pose risks and present surveillance challenges at the wildlife-livestock-human interfaces. These four diseases are also considered important actors in the threat of biological terror activities and have a long history as legacy biowarfare pathogens. This paper reviews recent studies done cooperatively between American and institutions within nations of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) focused on spatiotemporal, epidemiological, and ecological patterns of these four zoonoses. We examine recent studies and discuss the possible ways in which techniques, including ecological niche modeling, disease risk modeling, and spatiotemporal cluster analysis, can inform disease surveillance, control efforts, and impact policy. Our focus is to posit ways to apply science to disease management policy and actual management or mitigation practices. Across these examples, we illustrate the value of cooperative studies that bring together modern geospatial and epidemiological analyses to improve our understanding of the distribution of pathogens and diseases in livestock, wildlife, and humans. For example, ecological niche modeling can provide national level maps of pathogen distributions for surveillance planning, while space-time models can identify the timing and location of significant outbreak events for defining active control strategies. We advocate for the need to bring the results and the researchers from cooperative studies into the meeting rooms where policy is negotiated and use these results to inform future disease surveillance and control or eradication campaigns.

Species-specific PCR for the Diagnosis and Determination of Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Brucella Strains Isolated from Tehran, Iran

BACKGROUND

Brucellosis is an endemic zoonotic disease in the Middle East. This study intended to design a uniplex PCR assay for the detection and differentiation of Brucella at the species level and determining the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Brucella in Iran.

METHODS

Sixty-eight Brucella specimens (38 animal and 30 human specimens) were analyzed using PCR (using one pair of primers). Antibiotic susceptibility patterns were evaluated and compared using the E-Test and disk diffusion susceptibility test. Tigecycline susceptibility pattern was compared with other antibiotics.

RESULTS

Thirty six isolates of B. melitensis, 2 isolates of B. abortus and 1 isolate of B. suis from the 38 animal specimens, 24 isolates of B. melitensis and 6 isolates of B. abortus from the 30 human specimens were differentiated. The MIC₅₀ values of doxycycline for human and animal specimens were 125 and 10 μg/ml, respectively, tigecycline 0.064 μg/ml for human specimens and 0.125μg/ml for animal specimens, and trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole and ciprofloxacin 0.065 and 0.125μg/ml, respectively, for both human and animal specimens. The highest MIC₅₀ value of streptomycin in the human specimens was 0.5μg/ml and 1μg/ml for the animal specimens. The greatest resistance shown was to tetracycline and gentamicin, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Uniplex PCR for the detection and differentiation of Brucella at the strain level is faster and less expensive than multiplex PCR, and the antibiotics doxycycline, rifampin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin are the most effective antibiotics for treating brucellosis. Resistance to tigecycline is increasing, and we recommend that it be used in a combination regimen.

Hospital-Based Surveillance for Infectious Etiologies Among Patients with Acute Febrile Illness in Georgia, 2008-2011

Information on the infectious causes of undifferentiated acute febrile illness (AFI) in Georgia is essential for effective treatment and prevention. In May 2008, a hospital-based AFI surveillance was initiated at six hospitals in Georgia. Patients aged ≥ 4 years with fever ≥ 38°C for ≥ 48 hours were eligible for surveillance. Blood culture and serologic testing were conducted for Leptospira spp., Brucella spp., West Nile virus (WNV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, Coxiella burnetii, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), hantavirus, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), and Rickettsia typhi. Of 537 subjects enrolled, 70% were outpatients, 54% were males, and the mean age was 37 years. Patients reported having fatigue (89%), rigors (87%), sweating (83%), pain in joints (49%), and sleep disturbances (42%). Thirty-nine (7%) patients were seropositive for R. typhi, 37 (7%) for Brucella spp., 36 (7%) for TBEV, 12 (2%) for Leptospira spp., 10 (2%) for C. burnetii, and three (0.6%) for S. Typhi. None of the febrile patients tested positive for WNV antibodies. Of the patients, 73% were negative for all pathogens. Our results indicate that most of the targeted pathogens are present in Georgia, and highlight the importance of enhancing laboratory capacity for these infectious diseases.