Is there a treatment for brucellosis?

Yes, but treatment can be difficult. Doctors can prescribe effective antibiotics. Usually, doxycycline and rifampin are used in combination for 6 weeks to prevent reoccuring infection. Depending on the timing of treatment and severity of illness, recovery may take a few weeks to several months. Mortality is low (<2%), and is usually associated with endocarditis.

I am a veterinarian, and I recently accidentally jabbed myself with the animal vaccine (RB-51 or strain 19, or REV-1) while I was vaccinating cows (or sheep, goats). What do I need to do?

These are live vaccines, and strain 19 is known to cause disease in humans. Although we know less about the other vaccines, the recommendations are the same. You should see a health care provider. A baseline blood sample should be collected for testing for antibodies. We recommend that you take antibiotics (doxycycline and rifampin for strain 19 and REV-1, or doxycycline alone for RB-51) for 3 weeks. At the end of that time you should be rechecked and a second blood sample should be collected. (The sample can also be collected at 2 weeks.) The same recommendations hold true for spraying vaccine in the eyes (6 weeks of treatment in this case) or spraying onto open wounds on the skin.

Treatment of Brucellosis 

1. Doxycycline and rifampin are used in combination for 6 weeks to prevent reoccuring infection. 

2. Aminoglycosides streptomycin and gentamicin are effective against Brucella bacteria. 

3.Gentamicin 5 mg/kg by intramuscular injection once daily for 7 days is an acceptable substitute 

4.Provide supportive care for any specific symptoms and obtain appropriate tests targeted to affected organ systems as determined by history and physical.
5.All infected animals should be neutered or spayed to prevent related transmission. All infected animals should be considered to be lifelong carriers of the disease.