Key points
Brucellosis in people is a nationally notifiable condition. CDC and health departments use a standardized case definition to track brucellosis in the United States. CDC publishes weekly and annual surveillance data in the Notifiable Infectious Disease Data Tables
Case definition
The brucellosis surveillance case definition provides a set of consistent criteria used to define the disease for public health surveillance and reporting. Surveillance case definitions enable public health officials to classify and count cases based on the same criteria across reporting jurisdictions. Surveillance case definitions are not intended for healthcare providers when making a clinical diagnosis or determining how to meet an individual patient's health needs.
Classic vs. new Brucella species
In 2020, all Ochrobactrum species were reclassified into the Brucella genus. Ochrobactrum species are not select agents. This change in nomenclature has been reflected in many of the rapid microbial identification systems used in clinical laboratories, which has the potential to have significant implications for clinical practice, laboratory reporting and public health. Infection with these new Brucella species does not cause brucellosis. They are considered non-brucellosis causing Brucella species and are not included in case-based surveillance.
Reporting criteria
National-level monitoring of notifiable conditions helps protect the health of the nation. Information from surveillance notifications shared by health departments can be used to better understand where and how much disease is occurring and what groups it's affecting as well as determine the best strategies to prevent and respond to the illness.
Brucellosis in people is a reportable condition in all states and territories. Healthcare providers, hospitals, or laboratories must report brucellosis cases to their local health departments. Specific requirements for who must report cases and when to report vary by jurisdiction.
Case Notification
The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) designates brucellosis in people as a nationally notifiable condition. If a patient meets probable or confirmed case criteria for brucellosis, CSTE requests that information about the patient and disease be submitted to CDC.
Laboratory Notification
Brucella abortus, Brucella melitensis, and Brucella suis are designated as select agents by the CDC-USDA Select Agent Program. Please consult your local health department for reporting requirements.
Reporting methods
Health departments should report general information about the patient and disease to CDC through the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS) using National Electronic Telecommunications System for Surveillance (NETSS) messages or the generic message mapping guide.
Health departments may also report brucellosis to the CDC using the Brucellosis Case Report Form that can be completed electronically. Completed forms can be securely emailed or faxed to CDC through the contacts listed on the form. Jurisdictional health departments can directly report cases via DCIPHER through Secure Access Management Services (SAMS) credentialing. To request DCIPHER access, for more information about the system, or if there are other surveillance-related questions, health departments can contact CDC's Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch at bspb@cdc.gov.
CDC surveillance data
Weekly and annual surveillance data for brucellosis cases in people are published in the NNDSS notifiable infectious disease data tables.