Brucella abortus: an endangered species

Authors: MacDiarmid SC
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 35, Issue 11, pp 196-197, Nov 1987
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Bacterial, Biosecurity, Disease/defect, Infectious disease, Disease control/eradication, Epidemiology, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Reproduction, Zoonosis, Public health
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Infection with Brucella abortus will soon be an exotic disease in New Zealand. An historic milestone has been reached on the road toward total eradication of this bacterium. In the last two months of the last brucellosis testing season, which ended on 31 August ,1987, there were no herds known to contain seropositive animals remaining in the country. All of the 14 herds still under movement control because of a previous history of brucellosis had returned clear whole of herd test results. Sixteen years ago, when the compulsory brucellosis eradication scheme commenced, there were an estimated 14,400 infected herds in New Zealand. Despite the progress that has been made, and even though the 1986187 testing season ended with no known seropositive herds, surveillance cannot be relaxed. Seropositive animals will almost certainly be discovered in coming months. Some of these will be infected with field strain Brucella abortus, infection which may remain latent for several years…

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