Brucellosis caused by Brucella abortus, B. suis, or B. melitensis is relatively rare in dogs. In cases that do occur, the dogs are usually around livestock, as they are the primary source of those strains of the bacteria.
Brucellosis in dogs is a rare disease in Canada. It is more prevalent in some areas of the United States, such as the southern USA, and in other parts of the world.
It is not found in Australia but occurs in many overseas countries, particularly in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Central Asia and Central America. Brucella abortus usually infects cattle. Bovine brucellosis (brucellosis in cattle) has been eradicated from all states of Australia, including NSW, since 1989.
Clinical Signs in Dogs
Infected male dogs may have abnormally sized testicles (swollen or shrunken). Other signs observed with canine brucellosis include infertility, anorexia, weight loss, pain, lameness, incoordination, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle weakness.
In dogs. In female dogs, the most common symptoms are aborted pregnancies, stillbirth, and inability to become pregnant. In males, the primary symptom is the inability to sire puppies. Both sexes may have swollen lymph glands, eye disease, and infections of the spine.
I have read estimates as high as 6% of dogs in the southeastern US are affected but this percentage includes stray/feral dogs. CHF: How are the Brucella bacteria transmitted from dog to dog?
Humane euthanasia of infected dogs is often recommended to prevent the spread of this disease.
Brucellosis may also be transmitted through semen or urine and can be shed by intact or neutered males for several years in cases of chronic infection.
While there are no vaccines for humans or dogs, several licensed live Brucella vaccines are available for use in livestock throughout the world, such as the B.
Unfortunately, there are no vaccines available for brucellosis. The best way to keep the disease out of your kennel is to make sure you test all new dogs before they enter your property.
Surveillance and reporting. Brucellosis is a nationally notifiable disease. We monitor cases through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. For more on brucellosis in Australia, you can search Communicable Diseases Intelligence .
People who work with animals and are in contact with blood, placenta, foetuses and uterine secretions have an increased risk of contracting the disease. This method of transmission primarily affects farmers, butchers, hunters, veterinarians and laboratory personnel.
It is likely that infection may be transmitted from an infected dog when it is bred/mated. Brucellosis is a disease caused by infection with a type of bacteria (Brucella). This disease is common in many parts of the world, but it is rare in Australia. Brucella bacteria infect a range of animals.
Lethality: Brucellosis has a very low mortality rate, less than 5% of untreated cases, with most deaths caused by endocarditis or meningitis.
Signs and symptoms of brucellosis may include fever, joint pain and fatigue. The infection can usually be treated with antibiotics. However, treatment takes several weeks to months, and the infection can recur.
Human cases of brucellosis are uncommon, with only 100 to 200 cases a year reported in the U.S. Although brucellosis can make you very sick, it is rarely fatal.
For simple infections, doxycycline (100 mg PO twice daily for 6 weeks) may be the most appropriate monotherapy; however, relapse rates with such monotherapy approach 40% and as a result, rifampin (600-900 mg/day) is usually added.
Brucellosis is an infectious disease caused by bacteria. People can get the disease when they are in contact with infected animals or animal products contaminated with the bacteria. Animals that are most commonly infected include sheep, cattle, goats, pigs, and dogs, among others.
Furthermore, detection of brucellosis in dogs is now reportable, both detection of the organism and indirect detection of Brucella canis by serology.
Depending on the timing of treatment and severity of illness, recovery may take a few weeks to several months. Death from brucellosis is rare, occurring in no more than 2% of all cases. Generally, the antibiotics doxycycline and rifampin are recommended in combination for a minimum of 6-8 weeks.
Symptoms and Signs of Brucellosis
Onset may be sudden, with chills and fever, severe headache, joint and low back pain, malaise, and occasionally diarrhea. Or onset may be insidious, with mild prodromal malaise, muscle pain, headache, and pain in the back of the neck, followed by a rise in evening temperature.
The most common way to be infected is by eating or drinking unpasteurized/raw dairy products. When sheep, goats, cows, or camels are infected, their milk becomes contaminated with the bacteria.
Although brucellosis can be found worldwide, it is more common in countries that do not have effective public health and domestic animal health programs. Areas currently listed as high risk are: the Mediterranean Basin (Portugal, Spain, Southern France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, North Africa)
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that severely hinders livestock productivity and human health worldwide. The burden that the disease places specifically on low-income countries has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to classify it as one of the world's leading 'neglected zoonotic diseases' [1].