Brucellosis: At least 5 admitted in hosp

Kolkata: Around 40 people in the state were suspected to have the symptoms of brucellosis, a bacterial infection transmitted from cattle to humans.

Many of them visited the School of Tropical Medicine on Friday with various symptoms out of which 5 patients have been admitted to the hospital. Samples have been collected from 30 people. Bacteria have been transmitted to people from animals.

It was learnt that those who have been infected mostly administer vaccines to the cattle and rear the animals. They have complained about fever, body ache, and headaches. Infected patients have been kept under observation at the School of Tropical Medicine. Data relating to the patients have been sent to Swasthya Bhawan.

No cattle have reportedly died so far. According to virologists, there is hardly any chance that bacteria will transmit from human to human.

It is spread during artificial breeding of cattle, warned the virologists.

Brucellosis is a bacterial disease caused by various Brucella species, which mainly infect cattle, swine, goats, sheep and dogs.

Humans generally acquire the disease through direct contact with infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated animal products or by inhaling airborne agents.