SPADA
Background • B. suis anecdotally first pathogen developed as a biological weapon by former US offensive program (W. Patrick, III, personal communication) • Infectious dose of 10‐100 organisms validated in historic “8‐ball” chamber at Ft. Detrick with human subjects • Aerosol transmission (first noted in swine abattoirs), but also via fomites and sexual route documented in animals and humans • Serious acute and chronic symptoms of brucellosis often complicate correct diagnosis
Background • α‐proteobacteria, Order Rhizobiales, Family Brucellaceae • Other Brucellaceae include Mycoplana, Ochrobactrum, Pseudochrobactrum, Paenochrobactrum, and Crabtreella. • Ten currently recognized species (often with strong host‐specificity) further divided into biovars • Members of the Rhizobiales are similar enough to generate false positives (eg Agrobacterium tumefaciens )
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