Thousands in China test positive for bacterial infection that can cause infertility

Beijing: While the coronavirus continues its destructive march across the world, a bacterial disease has surfaced in China that has raised widespread concerns among the medical fraternity. Several thousand people in northwest China have tested positive for brucellosis, a bacterial disease, the Chinese authorities confirmed on Tuesday. The outbreak has been reportedly caused by a leak at a biopharmaceutical company last year.

As per reports, at least 3,245 people have tested positive for the disease, which is reportedly caused by contact with livestock carrying the bacteria Brucella. As per some reports, disease can have the side effect of inflamed testicles and can make some men infertile. This has been confirmed by the Health Commission of Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu province.

As per the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the disease, also known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever, can cause headaches, muscle pain, fever, and fatigue. Some of the symptoms associated with the disease -- like arthritis or swelling in certain organs -- can become chronic or never go away.

Human-to-human transmission in this disease is extremely rare and the infection spreads mostly through consumption of contaminated food or breathing in the bacteria. This seems to be the case in China's Lanzhou where the latest cases have been reported.

According to a report on CNN, the outbreak began due to a leak at the Zhongmu Lanzhou biological pharmaceutical factory last year between late July and August.

While producing Brucella vaccines for animal use, the factory used expired disinfectants and sanitizers. Not all bacteria were eradicated in the waste gas.

The testing of 21,000 people has shown that the number of infections is quite high. However, no deaths have so far been reported so far. "The number is way larger than expected and raised widespread concern over the disease's spread and its consequences," reported China's state-run Global Times newspaper.

Also Watch: Watch: What Arunachal Pradesh CM Does to Beat the Stress, Stay Fit