The Hidden Disease That Robs Your Livestock of Young and Your Family of Health

Dr. Hanif ur Rehman • Dr. Asmat Wazir • Dr. Faisal Wazir

What Is Brucellosis?

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection caused by Brucella species — primarily Brucella abortus in cattle, Brucella melitensis in sheep and goats (the most dangerous for humans), and Brucella suis in pigs. These bacteria are zoonotic, meaning they spread from animals to people. They target reproductive organs, the udder, and lymph nodes, causing infectious abortion in females, orchitis (testicular swelling) in males, reduced milk yield, and permanent fertility damage. Brucella is shed heavily in milk, making unpasteurised milk a primary route of human infection.

How Does It Spread?

Bacteria are shed in massive quantities during abortion or birth from infected animals. Contaminated birth fluids, foetuses, and placentas can survive in soil and water for weeks. Animals spread it by licking contaminated materials or mating with infected partners. Humans are infected by drinking raw milk or handling birth materials without gloves. Farm workers, veterinarians, and slaughterhouse workers face the highest risk.

Signs to Watch For in Your Animals

Abortion in the last third of pregnancy (6th–9th month in cattle)
Retained placenta (afterbirth not passed within 12 hours)
Repeat breeding failures or repeated pregnancy loss
Swollen testicles in bulls, rams, or bucks

Note: After a first abortion, infected animals may carry later pregnancies normally — giving a false sense of recovery. They continue to silently infect the rest of the herd.

How It Affects Your Family

In people, Brucellosis causes ‘undulant fever’ — waves of fever peaking in evenings — along with night sweats, fatigue, joint pain, and loss of appetite lasting weeks or months. It is frequently misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. Untreated, it can damage the spine, heart valves, liver, and nervous system. Treatment requires 6+ weeks of specific antibiotics (doxycycline with rifampicin or streptomycin). Children who drink fresh milk from family animals are at particularly high risk.

The milk that looks clean can carry Brucella. Boiling or pasteurising milk before drinking is not optional — it is life-saving.

Prevention — What You Must Do

Vaccinate all female calves at 3–8 months of age (S19 or RB51 vaccine for cattle; Rev-1 for sheep/goats). Only a licensed vet should administer these.
Test all incoming animals with the Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) before adding them to your herd.
Remove and report any animal that tests positive to your veterinary authority.
Always wear rubber gloves when handling abortions, placentas, or birth fluids.
Bury or incinerate aborted foetuses and placentas immediately. Never leave them in the open.
Boil all milk before drinking or making dairy products.

Act Now

Had unexplained abortions in your herd? Contact your local veterinary officer immediately and request Brucellosis testing.
Family member with prolonged fever and night sweats? Tell your doctor about animal contact and request a Brucellosis blood test.
Never buy animals from markets without a Brucellosis test certificate.