SkiptoContentBrucellosisFactSheet-MinnesotaDept.ofHealthBioterrorismBioterrorismHomeBioterrorismDiseasesBioterrorismForHealthProfessionalsRelatedTopicsIllnessAcquiredFromAnimalsInfectiousDiseaseReportingInfectionControlHighConsequenceInfectiousDisease(HCID)BrucellosisOnthispage:Whatisbrucellosis?Howdopeoplegetbrucellosis?Canyougetitfromotherpeople?Canbrucellosisbetreated?Canbrucellosisbeprevented?Whyisbrucellosisconsideredapossibleterrorweapon?WhatshouldIdoifIthinkImayhavebrucellosis?DownloadPDFversionformattedforprint:Brucellosis-English(PDF)Amharic(PDF)Arabic(PDF)Hmong(PDF)Khmer(PDF)Laotian(PDF)Oromo(PDF)Russian(PDF)Serbo-Croatian(PDF)Somali(PDF)Spanish(PDF)Vietnamese(PDF)Whatisbrucellosis?Brucellosisisadisease,causedbybacteria,whichaffectsmanydifferentkindsofanimals–includingsheep,goats,cattle,deer,elk,pigs,anddogs.However,itcanalsocauseadiseasewithflu-likesymptomsinhumans.Peoplewithbrucellosismaydevelopfever,sweats,headaches,backpains,andphysicalweakness.Inseverecases,thecentralnervoussystemandtheliningoftheheartmaybeaffected.Oneformoftheillnessmayalsocauselong-lastingsymptoms,includingrecurrentfevers,jointpain,andfatigue.Symptomscanappearanywherefromfiveto60daysafterexposure.Humancasesofbrucellosisareuncommon,withonly100to200casesayearreportedintheU.S.Althoughbrucellosiscanmakeyouverysick,itisrarelyfatal.Howdopeoplegetbrucellosis?Peoplecanbeinfectedwithbrucellosisbacteriabyeatingordrinkingsomethingthat’sbeencontaminatedwiththebacteriainhalingthebacteriahavingawoundthatgetsinfectedwiththebacteriaThemostcommonwaythatpeoplegetthediseaseisbydrinkingoreatingunpasteurized,contaminatedmilkorcheese.Youcanalsogetitbybreathinginthebacteria.Thathappenslessoften,butitcanbeahazardforpeopleinsomekindsofjobs–peoplewhoworkinlabsorslaughterhouses,forexample.Infectedwoundscanbeaproblemforveterinarians,slaughterhouseworkers,orhunters.Hunterscangetitbyeatingfoodthattheyhaveaccidentallycontaminatedwithbrucellosisbacteria,whilecleaningwildgame.Itwouldalsobepossibletodeliberatelyexpo