TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Centers for Disease Control on Tuesday confirmed Taiwan’s first imported case of brucellosis in 10 years.
The patient, a man in his 50s, traveled to Xinjiang, China, in April, where he came into contact with horses and sheep at an animal market. Due to a lack of water, he did not wash his hands afterward, CNA reported.
CDC epidemic prevention physician Lin Yong-qing (林詠青) said the man has a history of asthma but no other chronic illnesses. He developed a fever and chills in early July, but because family members were suffering from the flu, he assumed he had the same illness and self-medicated without seeking treatment.
His condition worsened, and after several clinic visits, a blood test in late July showed elevated liver function. He was referred to an emergency room and admitted for a suspected viral infection.
A blood culture later identified Brucella bacteria, and antibiotics were administered. His symptoms improved, and he was discharged in early August, about one month after the onset of illness. No companions or contacts have shown similar symptoms.
The CDC said brucellosis is a zoonotic disease found worldwide, particularly in East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Mediterranean. In 2011, Taiwan reported five imported cases from North Africa, Malaysia, and China. Since the disease was added to the Category IV notifiable infectious diseases list in 2012, two imported cases from Indonesia have been recorded.
Brucellosis has an incubation period of one to two months, but can last up to five months. Symptoms include fever, headache, loss of appetite, joint pain, and weight loss, and severe cases can affect the urinary and nervous systems or cause endocarditis. Untreated cases have a mortality rate of around 2%.
The CDC said human infection occurs through contact with wounds or mucous membranes exposed to infected animal tissue, blood, or urine; ingestion of contaminated food such as unpasteurized milk or cheese; or inhalation of aerosols containing the bacteria. Travelers to endemic areas should avoid undercooked meat, unpasteurized dairy products, and direct contact with animals.
