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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Infectious Bacterial Diseases Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #192708

Title: BRUCELLA ABORTUS STRAIN RB51: APPLICATIONS AND EFFECTIVENESS IN DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK AND OTHER SPECIES OF INTEREST

Author
item Olsen, Steven

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2006
Publication Date: 4/19/2006
Citation: Olsen, S.C. 2006. Brucella abortus strain RB51: Applications and Effectiveness in Domestic Livestock and other Species of Interest. Proceedings of Conference on Brucellosis in Korea, April 19-23, 2006, Seoul, Korea. p. 171-175.

Interpretive Summary: Brucellosis, a disease characterized by abortion and fetal losses, remains endemic in domestic livestock in many areas worldwide. Infection of livestock with B. abortus, B. melitensis, or B. suis pose a significant health risk for transmission to humans by direct contact or from consumption of unpasturized milk products. Infection of humans with Brucella causes a wide range of clinical symptoms including the classical syndrome of Aundulant fever@. In the United States, the brucellosis eradication program is based on calfhood vaccination, market surveillance, epidemiologic traceback from infected herds, and strict management/quarantine of known infected herds. Use of the Brucella abortus strain RB51 vaccine was initiated in the United States in 1996 based on data from experiments conducted at the National Animal Disease Center. The RB51 vaccine is safe and efficacious in cattle, and does not induce serologic responses that interfere with the identification of animals infected with field strains of B. abortus. Brucellosis eradication programs can be implementated which reduce the prevalence of disease in livestock reservoirs and therefore enhance human health by preventing zoonotic infections associated with exposure to infected livestock.

Technical Abstract: Brucellosis in domestic livestock remains a significant human health threat in many areas of the world. In the United States, the brucellosis eradication program is based on calfhood vaccination, market surveillance, epidemiologic traceback from infected herds, and strict management/quarantine of known infected herds. Use of the Brucella abortus strain RB51 vaccine was initiated in the United States in 1996 based on data from experiments conducted at the National Animal Disease Center. The RB51 vaccine is safe and efficacious in cattle, and does not induce serologic responses that interfere with the identification of animals infected with field strains of B. abortus. The RB51 vaccine also appears relatively safe in adult cattle although it is capable of inducing some abortions when administered during pregnancy. Brucellosis eradication programs can be implementated which reduce the prevalence of disease in livestock reservoirs and therefore enhance human health by preventing zoonotic infections associated with exposure to infected livestock.