How To Prevent And Control The Spread Of Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a highly infectious bacterial zoonosis. People contract the disease through direct contact with the infected animal, or its secretions and excretions. Veterinary specialist in public health Dr Jan H du Preez explains the science, symptoms and treatment of the disease.

- Dr Jan H du Preez

Brucellosis is a direct anthropozoonosis, which means that people contract the illness after direct contact with the infected animal, its excretions and secretions, including raw milk, and other products made with affected animal by-products.

Bovine brucellosis is widely prevalent in South Africa. Veterinarians, livestock handlers and abattoir personnel are most at risk of exposure to the infective agent.

Because of the economic importance of bovine brucellosis and the danger it presents to public health, it is a controlled animal disease in South Africa and regulated in terms of the Animal Disease Act No. 35 of 1984.

Vets in private practice also assist in the control of brucellosis.

Human brucellosis is known as Mediterranean or Malta fever (when caused by a Mediterranean species of Brucella), brucella fever, abortus fever and undulant fever (when caused by Brucella abortus).

The disease in cattle is also known as contagious abortion (CA).

Various species of Brucella bacteria cause brucellosis in humans. These include B. abortus, which is derived from cattle; B. melitensis, which occurs mainly in goats and sheep; B. suis, which occurs in pigs; and B. canis, which occurs in dogs.

B. abortus and, to a lesser extent, B. melitensis, are of particular significance to human health in Southern Africa.

AN EVER-PRESENT GLOBAL PROBLEM

Although the disease has been eradicated in some countries, it still occurs worldwide.

In South Africa, many cattle herds and game, especially buffalo and sable, are known to be infected with B. abortus.

B. melitensis occurs on a limited scale in isolated areas in Namibia, while