Bovine Brucellosis p. 78 -

Question 1

Official free status of a herd of bovine brucellosis

Answer 1

• No clinical signs (for minimum 6 months)
• No vaccination
• All animals over 12 months:
o Two serological tests (3-12m interval) or
o 3 milk tests dairy cows (3 monthly interval) + 6w later serology
• Animals introduced: from officially free herds or tested (within 30dd)
• Regular testing (every year)
• Hungary is now officially free
• General measures (isolation of the holding, record of comp. laboratory examinations,
separate calving, control of movements of visitors, animals, vehicles, control of dogs and
cats on the holding etc.)
• Suspension of free status of herd: suspicion (positive test or pm inspection)
• Restoration of free status:
o Positive reactor: slaughtered
o 2 serum aggl. tests (over 12m), 1. 30d, 2. +60d
• Positive reactor: 2 blood tests (serum aggl. + compl. fix.)
• Withdrawal: confirmed Brucella infection
o Cleaning, disinfection
o All animals slaughtered or
o 2 tests (over 12m), 1. 30d, 2. +60d; pregnant: 21d after calving – all should be negative to
both tests

Question 2

Public Health Measures in case of suspicion of Bovine Brucellosis

Answer 2

• Notification to state medical service
• Informing the keeper, owner (pregnancy!)
• Personal disinfection
• Protective clothes, gloves and footwear
• Control of products
• Still present in wild game, and B suis (swine!)
• Breeding dog should be free from B canis! (abortion, orchitis) – frequently test

Question 3

How can a country identify as a brucellosis free member state?

Answer 3

• No abortion due to brucella, no Brucella isolation for 3 years
• 99.8% officially free herds for 5 years
• Proper identification system
• Report and investigation of all abortions
• Regular testing above 12 months every year
• Suspected case: 2 blood tests (incl. compl. fix.) + microbiology

Question 4

Bovine Brucellosis Suspicion, Diseased Animals, Suspected of being diseased

Answer 4

• Suspicion: sample to National Veterinary Institute
• Diseased animal: typical clinical signs + typical pathological lesions or bacteriology
o Movement restrictions, castration (those with orchitis) or slaughter
• Suspected of being diseased: clinical signs, until confirmation
o Bacteriology (aborted foetus, placenta) + 2 blood tests of cow (21 days interval), movement
restrictions
o If both negative, then free