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Diagnosis of brucellosis. Brucella species are facultative intracellular, gram-negative bacilli that cause brucellosis in humans, typically acquired by contact with infected animals or ingestion of contaminated meat/milk. Signs include fever, night sweats, chills, weakness, malaise, headache, and anorexia. Diagnosis is made via culture of bone marrow, blood, fluid, or tissue specimens, aided by serology. Antibodies appear 1 to 2 weeks post onset, and CDC recommends confirmation with Brucella-specific agglutination after positive or equivocal IgG/IgM EIA tests.