1. RECENT DISCOVERIES IN THE
CONTROL OF BRUCELLOSIS
Presenters: 1. Dr. Moses Bwana
BVM, FELTP Intern
2. Dr. Gaturaga I.M
RVIL Mariakani
Venue: Sai Rock Hotel,
KVA Coast Branch Conference
Date: 14/8/2015

2. “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will
educate his patients in the care of the human frame,
in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”
Thomas Edison

3. THE PATHOGEN
 Virulence linked to lifestyle.
 *Metabolic mutant and nutrient shifter.
 Quorum Sensing and/or starvation
sensing
 Best source of carbon Erythritol ( a
Polyol, alcohol sugar).
 Predilection sites: pregnant uterus,
mature udder, testicles, accessory sex
glands, joint space.
 *Humans: Fever, sweat, headache, pain
in muscles, joints and/or back.

4. EPIDEMIOLOGY
 IP inversely proportional to stage of
gestation at time of exposure (7days
to 7 months)
 Venereal transmission RARE
 Transmission from bulls is mainly via
intra-uterine A.I and contamination of
pastures.
 Wildlife species harbor the pathogen
 Occupational hazard to animal
handlers, slaughterhouse workers and
lab personnel.

5. PREVENTION AND CONTROL
 Why? No practical treatment is
available, best way forward.
 Concept: “Brucella Free
Zones/Areas” (BFZ)
 Where to start? Big Data
 Where to get data? Surveillance

6. SURVEILLANCE
 What is it? Continuous collection and
analysis of animal health data to inform
disease control programs.
 Why? Pillar upon which a DFZ or BFZ can be
sustained
 Who? Livestock, humans and wildlife (One-
Health)
 Where? Entire country including coastal DFZ
 When? Decide!
 Objective? Provide data on Epidemiological
knowledge, occurrence and distribution,
support eradication and targeted
interventions.

7. SURVEILLANCE contd…
 How to prepare? -Case definition –risk
factors –functioning vet field and lab capacity-
sensitization and awareness of the public-
animal health data management system-
policy.
 Surveillance sites: livestock markets, milk
processing plants, slaughterhouses
 Types of surveillance:
a. Passive surveillance ( reporting, mobile
phones, leaflets, digital pens, field vets)
b. Active surveillance ( milk, syndromic, sero-
surveillance, PDS and wildlife)
c. Outbreak investigations (confirmation of
cases)

8. LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
 Why? To confirm presence or absence
 Precaution: Proper Biosafety and
biosecurity
 Basic assays:
i. RBT and BRT
ii. BM ELISA
iii. Indirect and Competitive ELISA
iv. Culture and isolation
v. FPA
 *MRVIL (RBPT and CFT)

9. MASS VACCINATION
 As an emergency measure
 To cover 80% of livestock
 For 5-10 years
 Identification of vaccinated
animals(brands, tags, tattoos, RFID)
 Vaccines: S-19, RB-51, REV-1
 Can we manufacture our own??

10. QUARANTINE AND
MOVEMENT CONTROL
 Affected animals and source herds
 Stop movement orders
YOUNG STOCK
VACCINATION
 Young replacement females aged 4-8
months
 Intra-caudal or intra-dermal route

11. TEST AND SLAUGHTER
 Suitable when prevalence is below 1%
 Public funds to compensate farmers
 Appropriate management, animal
identification and monitoring of
vaccination coverage

12. BRUCELLOSIS INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
 Incidence reports (CVO)
 Linked data bases between veterinary
and human health sectors
 Brucellosis database applications
(ARIS-2)
 One Health approach to outbreak
investigations.

13. CONTROL IN HUMANS
 Relies heavily upon control in livestock
 Biosafety and biosecurity in high risk
occupations.
 Milk pasteuralisation
 Proper cooking of meat

14. REFERENCES
1. Ariza J, Bosilkovski, M. Caseio A, (2007): Perspectives for the Treatment of
Brucellosis in the 21st Century: The Ioannina Recommendations.
2. AU-IBAR, 2014: SMPS for Control of Brucellosis in the Greater Horn of Africa.
Nairobi
3. Control of Brucellosis in Kuwait by Vaccination of Cattle, Sheep and Goats
with Brucella abortus strain-19 or Brucella melitensis strain Rev-1
4. Diaz R. Casanova A. Ariza J. Moriyon, (2011): The Rose Bengal Test in
Human Brucellosis: A Neglected Test fir the Diagnosis of a Neglected Disease.
5. Donev D, (2010): Brucellosis Control and Eradication in South Eastern
European Countries: Currents Status and Perspective Strategies.
6. J. D. Anderson, H. Smith, (1965): The Metabolism of Erythritol by Brucella.
7. J. Lamontagne, A. Forest, E. Marazzo, (2009): Intracellular Adaptation of
Brucella abortus.
8. Merck Sharp, (2009-2015): The Merck Veterinary Manual, Online Edition.
9. Russo G, (2009): Re-emergence of Human and Animal Brucellosis, Bulgaria.
10. Refai M, (2002): Incidence and Control of Brucellosis in the Near East Region
11. W. Eisenreich, T. Dandekar, (2010): Carbon Metabolism of Intracellular
Bacterial Pathogens and Possible links to Virulence.

15. “He who conceals his disease cannot expect to be cured.”
Ethiopian Proverb.