Which statement about Brucella is NOT true?

• A. Infection may occur via abrasions of the oral mucosa, conjunctiva, and genitals.
• B. They are fastidious and require supplemented media for isolation.
• C. Phage and dye sensitivity tests are used for identification to the species level.
• D. The risk of accidental laboratory infection is no greater than with any other organism.

Answer: (D)

Brucella are highly infectious bacteria, with a real risk of laboratory-acquired infection, especially through inhalation of aerosols. Because even small aerosol doses can cause disease, handling Brucella requires stringent biosafety measures (often including higher containment). This means the risk of accidental infection in the lab is greater than with many other organisms, so the statement that the risk is no greater than that of any other organism is not true. The other points align with Brucella biology: transmission can occur through mucous membranes or skin abrasions, the organisms are fastidious and need enriched media to grow, and identification to the species level has historically used phage typing and dye sensitivity tests.