Final answer:
Brucellosis is a disease caused by Brucella species, leading to undulant fever in humans and is significant in an ancient hominin fossil as it provides insight into early human disease susceptibility and lifestyle. Modern diagnosis and treatment involve serological tests and antibiotics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection caused by species in the genus Brucella, which are gram-negative facultative intracellular pathogens that manifest as coccobacilli. Humans can acquire brucellosis through ingestion of infected meat or unpasteurized dairy products, inhalation of aerosolized bacteria, or direct contact with injuries on the skin. It's also known as undulant fever, "Mediterranean fever," or "Malta fever." In the US, brucellosis is rare due to animal vaccination but remains common in other parts of the world.
The significance of finding this disease in an Australopithecus fossil at Sterkfontain is profound because it provides evidence of early human ancestors being susceptible to zoonotic diseases. This discovery can offer insights into the interactions between these hominins and the animals around them, their environment, and potentially their eating habits or social behaviors that could have facilitated the transmission of such diseases. Diagnostic methods for modern brucellosis involve serological tests such as agglutination tests and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to determine exposure to the organism. Treatment usually includes a combination of antibiotics like doxycycline or ciprofloxacin with rifampin, and options like gentamicin, streptomycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) are also effective.