Brucellosis in India: An overeview

Abstract

Brucellosis is one of the most important and widespread zoonotic disease in the world. Animals may transmit Brucella organisms during septic abortion, during slaughter, and through their milk. Brucellosis is rarely transmitted from person to person. The incidence of brucellosis in human is closely tied to the prevalence of infection in animals, and to practices that allow exposure of humans to potentially infected animals or their products. B. abortus, B. melitensis, B. suis, B. canis, and marine mammal Brucella species are human pathogens. Brucellae can enter mammalian hosts through skin abrasions or cuts, the conjunctiva, the respiratory tract, and the gastrointestinal tract. Bison, elk, reindeer and caribou can be infected with Brucella spp., but their role in transmission of the infections to livestock remains under debate. The uncomplicated cases should be treated with doxycycline, streptomycin and rifampicin. Mass vaccination is crucial for the control and eradication of bovine, ovine and caprine brucellosis. Complementary measures that may need to consideration like improved farm hygiene, restriction and control of trade and movement of animals, testing of animals and isolation and removal of infected animals.