Brucellosis Eradication Program

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Brucellosis Eradication Program

• 4-H Veterinary Science
• Extension Veterinary Medicine 
• Texas AgriLife Extension Service
• College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical
  Science
• Texas AM System
• http//aevm.tamu.edu

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Objectives

• Discuss the decrease in the prevalence of
  brucellosis in cattle and swine
• Understand that health regulations are health
  management practices used to prevent the spread
  of the disease

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• Numerous animal species affected
• Endemic to most parts of world
• Reportable
• Bacterial disease
• Zoonotic

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Causative Agent

• Caused by species of Brucella bacteria
• Brucella abortus - cattle, bison, elk
• Brucella melitensis - goats
• Brucella suis - swine
• Brucella ovis - sheep
• Brucella canis - dogs
• Brucella neotomae - rats

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-USDA, VS
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Transmission

• Routes of exit from infected animal
• Aborted fetus
• Reproductive fluids
• Placenta
• Milk
• Urine
• Semen

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• Routes of entry to susceptible animal
• Ingestion
• Mucous membranes
• Broken skin
• Intact skin

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• Once an animal is infected, it is forever
  infected with bacteria
• Reservoir hosts shed bacteria
• Dead-end hosts do not shed bacteria

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Diagnosis

• Clinical symptoms of Bangs disease in cattle
• Abortions
• Retained placentas
• Decreased milk production
• Testicular abscesses
• Arthritis
• Laboratory tests
• Serology
• Culture

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• Clinical symptoms in horses
• Fistulous withers
• Poll evil
• Laboratory tests
• Serology
• Culture

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• Clinical symptoms in sheep and goats
• Abortions
• Retained placentas
• Mastitis
• Lameness
• Orchitis and epididymitis
• Impaired fertility
• Laboratory tests
• Serology
• Culture

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• Clinical symptoms in swine
• Abortions
• Weak/stillborn piglets
• Orchitis
• Sterility in boars
• Swollen joints and tendon sheaths
• Lameness
• Posterior paralysis
• Metritis
• Body abscesses
• Laboratory tests
• Serology
• Culture

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Prevention

• Heifer vaccination
• Testing new entries
• Herd testing and slaughter

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Vaccinating Heifers Helps to Keep the Free of
Bangs Disease
-USDA
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Regulation and Eradication

• National Animal Identification System (pending)?
• USDA Brucellosis Eradication Program
• Interstate movement testing
• Show testing
• First point testing
• Slaughter testing
• Surveillance
• Herd certification/validation
• Texas FEAD Emergency Response Plan
• Identify positive animals and destroy
• Reduce amount of time to get back test results
• Track origin of suspects animals

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Swine Brucellosis

• Brucella suis
• Zoonotic

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• Transmission
• Oral
• Venereal
• Prevention
• No vaccine

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• Symptoms
• Abortions
• Infertility
• Sterility

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• Surveillance
• Blood test
• Shows
• Slaughter plants
• Change-of-ownership
• Organized hunts

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• Eradication
• Quarantine and disposal