Another name of brucellosis is Contagious abortion and Bang’s Disease, Remitting fever, Undulant fever, Mediterranean fever, Maltese fever, Gibraltar fever, Crimean fever, Goat fever. Brucellosis is a bacterial disease that can cause abortion, born weak calves, ROP ( retained placenta ) and low milk production. An bacteria named brucella abortus can cause brucella in animals. Infected animal usually abort only one time but can able to shed the organism in amniotic fluid and milk at subsequent calving’s. Study of brucella is an important for every veterinary student because the organism is highly infectious to humans. There is no any accurate treatment of this contagious disease.
Most common animals get brucellosis include cats, dogs, sheep, cattle, pigs, bison, elk, caribou, moose and wild hogs. Humans can also get brucellosis by eating undercooked meat such as sheep, cow, goat or camel. There are many other game meat such as bison, elk, caribou, moose and wild hog.
Etiology / Cause / Reason : Brucellosis in animals
As already read about this that brucellosis in animals caused by a bacteria that named as brucella abortus. Brucella is the bacterial disease. Infection from this bacterial disease is spreading rapidly and causes many abortions in a herd of unvaccinated cattle. This disease is spread by aborted fetus also.
Organism are shed in milk and uterine and amniotic fluids and the cow may become temporarily infertile. Bacteria also present in uterus during pregnancy. Also during uterine involution and infrequently for a long time.
Naturally this disease may be transmitted by the ingestion of organism which are present in large number in aborted fetuses, fetal membrane, uterine and amniotic fetuses. Also this is caused by ingestion of infected water. Also this is infected by licking of genitalia of infected animals. Venereal transmission by infected bulls to susceptible cows appears to be rare.
Clinical findings / Symptoms Of Brucellosis In Animals : Brucellosis in animals
The main symptom of brucellosis in animals is abortion. The infection from this disease may cause stillborn or weak calves, retained placenta and decreased milk production. There is no any overall health is not impaired in uncomplicated abortions. In bulls there is seminal vesicles, ampullae, testicles and epididymis may be infected. In bulls there is testicular abscess may be occur. If infection is chronic then there is arthritis in some animals may be seen.
In a simple way brucella abortus may cause reproductive problems in most of the species of the animals. Other signs can include arthritis in cow and pigs and mastitis and lameness in the goats and oozing skin lesions in the equine ( horses ). This disease may cause zoonotic effect in the human also. In veterinary field this is not so common disease but it may effect 30 – 40 % of the animal polulation.
In human brucella may effect the human genitalia behalf of the complete body. Many other symptoms such as fever occurring 80 – 90 % of the cases. Other symptom include bone and joint pain and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
Common symptoms of brucella in Human are :
- Fever that comes and goes
- Sweating
- Loss of appetite
- Weightloss
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Joint or Body pain
Main symptoms of brucella in cattle :
- Abortion
- Stilbirth
- Infertility and vaginal discharge
- Change in lactation period
- Oozing skin lesions
Diagnosis Of Brucellosis In Animals : Brucellosis in animals
1. On clinical signs, serological testing and microbial culture may help in diagnosis of the brucella in animals. Other test may include CBC, X – ray etc.
2. Sample for culture include placenta, udder secretion from live animals, tissue samples e.g.. stomach contents, lungs from aborted fetuses.
Brucella abortus can be cultured from the placenta however the more typical and convenient sample are stomach contents and lungs from an aborted fetus. Many samples were taken from stomach content and lungs from an aborted fetus. Mostly animals may shed the organism from genital tract when uterine involution is complete.
Serological test have been the standard diagnostic method and can detect antibodies in the blood, milk, semen and whey samples. Other serological test include ELIZA ( Which detect antibodies in the milk and serum ), rivanol precipitation plate agglutination testing and acidified antigen procedures.
Screening test that help to diagnose the brucella in animals :
The Brucella milk ring test ( BRT ) is typically used as a screening test for the diagnosis of brucellosis at 3 – 6 month interval. Milk samples are collected at the farm or dairy and milk processing plants. If any cow or any other animals results positive test then culling of animals must be needed.
Control of brucellosis in animals : Brucellosis in animals
There is no any physical treatment of brucellosis in animals. There are many vaccination program done by any authority to control the brucellosis in animals. Animals must be vaccinated for prevention from the vaccination of that particular disease. There are many sampling test survey that help to prevent the brucellosis from spreading in a particular area.
Vaccination of the calves with the B abortus strain 19 increases the resistance to infection. Resistance may not be complete and the some of the vaccinated calves may become infected. There is few calves must generate antibodies against these diseases but few are left without this. So we can say that vaccination as the sole means of disease control has been effective.
Treatment of brucellosis in animals :
There is no any fixed treatment of the brucellosis.
Key Points Of Brucellosis In Animals :
- This disease causes contagious abortion in animals.
- Vaccination help to control the brucellosis in animals.
- Regular serological testing must be need to diagnose this disease.
- Infection in humans follow exposure to the aborted fetuses, placenta and amniotic and uterine fluids or ingestion of the contaminated milk.
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