[Species and biovar distribution of Brucella isolates in Trakya University Hospital between 1997-2002].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the species and biovar distribution of Brucella spp. isolated from blood cultures in Clinical Microbiology Laboratory of Trakya University Hospital, between 1997-2002. A total of 48 Brucella spp. have been isolated from 14.815 patients (0.3%), and the strains were identified according to CO2 requirement, H2S production, basic fuchsin and thionin sensitivity, lysis by Tbilisi phages, and presence of agglutination with monospecific A and M antisera. As a result, 47 (97.9%) isolates were identified as B. melitensis, and one as B. abortus (2.1%). Forty two (89.4%) of B. melitensis isolates were biovar 3, and five (10.6%) were biovar 1, while the single isolate of B. abortus was identified as an atypical strain.