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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you suspect that you have brucellosis, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. You may be referred to an infectious disease specialist. A diagnosis of brucellosis depends on understanding if, how and when you were exposed to the bacteria that cause the disease. You can help your doctor by being prepared with as much information as possible.
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance.
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment.
- Write down key personal information, including any recent travel outside the United States, consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or other suspected exposures.
- Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to absorb all the information provided during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing questions ahead of time will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- Have you eaten raw (unpasteurized) dairy products, such as goat cheese?
- Does your job involve contact with cattle, goats, pigs or other animals or with animal tissues?
- Have you traveled outside the United States in the past year?
- Do you work in a lab where infectious organisms are present?
- Have you gone hunting recently?
- Brucellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/Brucellosis_g.htm. Accessed Nov. 16, 2008.
- Everett ED. Microbiology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of Brucella. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 17, 2008.
- Everett ED. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of brucellosis in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 17, 2008.
- Franco MP, et al. Human brucellosis. Lancet Infectious Diseases. 2007;7:775.
- Purwar S. Human brucellosis: A burden of a half-million cases per year. Southern Medical Journal. 2007;100:1074.
- Brucellosis. New York State Department of Health. http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/communicable/brucellosis/fact_sheet.htm. Accessed Nov. 16, 2008.
- Brucellosis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases: Division of Bacterial Diseases. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/Brcellosis_t.htm. Accessed Nov. 16, 2008.
- Pappas G. Treatment of brucellosis: Regimens containing aminoglycosides are most effective but difficult to implement in practice. BMJ. 2008;336:678.
- Hashmi S, et al. Rare red rash. American Journal of Medicine. 2008;121:862.
- Skalsky K, et al. Treatment of human brucellosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. In press. Accessed Nov. 16, 2008.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Laboratory-acquired brucellosis - Indiana and Minnesota, 2006. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2008;57:39Hashmi S, et al. Rare red rash. American Journal of Medicine. 2008;121:862.
- Everett ED. Brucellosis in children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 17, 2008.
- Donch DA, et al. Status report - fiscal year 2007, Cooperative State-Federal Brucellosis Eradication Program. USDA, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/brucellosis/downloads/yearly_rpt.pdf. Accessed Nov. 19, 2008.
- Vaccine use following brucellosis and pseudorabies eradication. Center for Veterinary Biologics. www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/vet_biologics/publications/USAHA_CVB_2007_Handouts.pdf. Accessed Nov. 19, 2008.
