What is Brucellosis?
Brucellosis is a chronic contagious disease of sexually matured animals, mainly of cattle which cause great economic loss
What is the cause of the disease?
• Brucellosis is caused by bacterial organisms which are animal specific.
Which animals are susceptible to the disease?
• Cattle, sheep, pig, buffalo and dog are the most susceptible.
How is the disease transmitted?
Animals get the infection through:
• Contaminated feed and water
• Milk
• Semen
• Contact with aborted fetus or secretions
What are the clinical signs and symptoms?
• Abortion in the last trimester
• Stillborn or weak calves
• Retained placentas
• Reduce milk yield
• Swollen testicles in bulls
• Swollen joints
How is the disease diagnosed?
• The disease is diagnosed only by laboratory test.
What is the sample to be collected?
• Serum samples from suspected animals
• Milk
• Uterine discharges or placental fluids
• Aborted fetus
What are the prevention and control measures?
• There is no specific treatment available for Brucellosis
• Symptomatic treatment
• Proper disposal of aborted fetus, discharges and membranes
• Slaughtering of positive disease animals
• Maintenance of proper hygiene
• Vaccination of calves of the age group 4-8 months
• Bull should not be vaccinated.
What are the constraints in controlling the disease?
• Disease conformation is leading to distress
• Increased in trade movement of animals and commercial farming
• No policy for slaughter of infected animals
• Lack of public vaccination no practiced
What are the advantages of calf hood vaccination?
• Prevents abortion on herds
• Builds up herd immunity in 3-5 years.
Veterinary Hospital Kohima
