Brucella antibody Test

Doctors order this test if they notice the following symptoms in an individual:

• Unusual weakness
• Fever, chills, headache and backache
• Muscle pain and joint pain
• Loss of appetite and weight loss

Brucellosis symptoms can take up to four weeks to develop, so, a doctor may be able to diagnose the infection only after a person has the test. He/she may also take a detailed history to know if the person has contracted the disease by coming in close contact with an infected animal. Travel to countries like Spain, Mexico or Greece - where the disease is common - may also be a cause for the infection.

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(Health checkup app)

Brucella antibody test does not require much preparation. Your doctor may ask you questions related to travel and work in order to arrive at a diagnosis. Since the disease can spread via undercooked meat or unpasteurised milk of an infected animal, he/she may also ask you about foods and beverages you have consumed or possible contact with an animal carcass.

Let the doctor know if you work in a laboratory and may have been exposed to the bacteria. Transmission of the disease can also take place from mother to baby. So, tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or pregnant.

A doctor or laboratory technician will collect a blood sample from a vein in your arm using a sterilised needle. You may feel a slight pain due to the prick of the needle and a slight throbbing after the blood is drawn. There may also be a small amount of bruising at the site of needle puncture. However, these sensations will fade away soon. Please consult your doctor if the symptoms do not go away on their own.

Normal results:

It may take two days to get the test results. The normal ranges of antibodies found in the blood may vary slightly from one laboratory to the other; however, a positive or negative result can be determined in all laboratories. 

A normal result indicates absence of antibodies. The result is written as negative in this case. However, false-negative results are pretty common in this test. Therefore, your doctor may ask you to repeat the test after 10 days.

Abnormal results:

Abnormal results are written as positive. They indicate the presence of Brucella antibodies in the blood. This could mean you have come in contact with the bacteria. However, vaccination against certain diseases can cause the results of this test to be positive. Infections due to bacteria such as Vibrio, Francisella and Yersinia may also give positive results in this test. Therefore, your doctor may want to confirm the results with other tests. 

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) may be ordered to confirm both positive and negative results. Your doctor may also order blood, bone marrow or other tissue tests to confirm the presence of infection in the body. Once the results are confirmed, treatment will be started accordingly.

Disclaimer: All results must be clinically correlated with the patient’s complaints to make a complete and accurate diagnosis. The above information is provided from a purely educational point of view and is in no way a substitute for medical advice by a qualified doctor.