Brucellosis (Brucella abortus) in the UK: Brucellosis Q&A – five key points
Q.1. What is Brucellosis?
A. Brucellosis is a disease that can affect all farm livestock. It is caused by six species of bacteria of the genus Brucella which can also cause disease in humans. Most cases of the disease in cattle are caused by Brucella abortus. In humans Brucella abortus causes a recurring ‘flu like disease known as ‘undulant fever’ and may also cause arthritis.
Q.2. What is the effect of Brucella abortus in cattle?
A. Once an infected cow becomes pregnant, the bacterium multiplies in the uterus and often causes abortion between the 5th and 7th month of gestation. Such abortion is normally the first clinical sign of the disease. In males, Brucellosis can lead to infertility. Since there are no visible signs that a cow has become infected until it aborts, infection in a herd can spread by contact with infected material including uterine discharge and by infected milk. This can cause spread to other herds via cattle movements if the infection is undetected.
Q.3. What happens if abortions in cattle occur?
A. Brucellosis is a notifiable disease and there is a statutory surveillance programme for brucellosis. Farmers are legally required to notify the State Veterinary Service of any abortions or premature calvings that take place in their herd under Article 10 of the Brucellosis (England) Order 2000 and its equivalents in Wales and Scotland - this applies to both dairy and beef herds. If necessary, an abortion investigation is carried out and if a suspected Brucella organism has been cultured it must be identified at a Brucella reference centre; the reference centre for Great Britain is the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge. Once infection is detected and confirmed, infected cattle and others at risk of infection must be slaughtered. Compensation is paid for cattle which have to be slaughtered to control brucellosis.
Q.4. How was brucellosis eradicated from GB?
A. A free calf vaccination scheme, using the so called Strain 19 or S19 vaccine, was introduced in 1962. This was followed by the introduction of a voluntary attested herds scheme in 1967 to establish a nucleus of disease free herds on a voluntary basis. Compulsory area eradication commenced in 1971 and by 1979 all herds in Great Britain were attested and the calf vaccination programme was ended.
Q.5. Why did the outbreaks of brucellosis in Scotland in 2003 and in Cornwall in March 2004 not affect GB's Officially Brucellosis Free (OBF) status?
A. GB gained formal recognition as a region of the European Union with Officially Brucellosis Free status in 1985. The decision to suspend or revoke OBF status following an outbreak is at the discretion of the European Commission. The Commission were kept fully informed of the incidents in Scotland and the more recent incident in Cornwall and the action taken to control these outbreaks. As a consequence, GB's OBF free status has been retained; however, some 3rd Countries have sought additional guarantees in respect of trade.
Page last modified:
August 28, 2008