Abstract

Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease that causes huge economic losses to the livestock owners and is of great public health concern worldwide It is a chronic infectious disease of livestock rodents marine animals and human beings Brucellosis affects both public and animal health as well as production and is widespread in many regions of the world The disease is caused by non-motile facultative intracellular Cocco-bacilli of genus Brucella The two specific isolates of Brucella Brucella melitensis and Brucella ovis cause brucellosis in small ruminants Brucella ovis causes the disease in sheep while B melitensis is the etiologic agent of brucellosis in man sheep and goats Direct contact with infected animal secretions inhalation of the organism ingestion of contaminated food and poor hygienic practices favor the transmission of brucellosis between animals and humans Brucellosis affects the reproductive tract of animals which is manifested by late term abortions retention of placenta in the case of female animals epididymitis and orchitis in males The disease is also characterized by infertility and reduced milk production The diagnosis of brucellosis focuses on culture serological tests and molecular investigations Because of the high relapse rate associated with the disease the use of a multidrug therapy is recommended Brucellosis can be prevented by implementing appropriate animal-disease-control measures avoiding the consumption of undercooked meat and unpasteurized dairy products and using appropriate barrier precautions to exclude exposure to aerosols in humans