What is brucellosis? Brucellosis is a disease caused by a group of bacteria from the genus Brucella. These bacteria can infect both humans and animals.BrucellosisMedicallyreviewedbyEmeliaArquilla,DO—WrittenbyAutumnRivers—UpdatedonFebruary4,2021CausesandriskSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentComplicationsPreventionWhatisbrucellosis?BrucellosisisadiseasecausedbyagroupofbacteriafromthegenusBrucella.Thesebacteriacaninfectbothhumansandanimals.Brucellosisisoftenspreadwhenpeopleeatcontaminatedfood,whichmayincluderawmeatandunpasteurizedmilk.Thebacteriacanalsobespreadthroughtheairorcontactwithanopenwound.AccordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC),upto140casesofbrucellosisarereportedannuallyintheUnitedStates.Peoplewhoworkwithanimalsandrawmeat(e.g.,butchers)havethehighestchanceofgettingbrucellosis.WhilebrucellosisisrareintheUnitedStates,itcanbeserious.Youshouldtalkwithyourdoctorifyouthinkyoumayhavebrucellosis.Antibioticscanusuallytreatit.However,somepeoplegetthisdiseaserepeatedlyovertheyears,andmedicationwon’tnecessarilybanishitforever.Toloweryourriskofgettingbrucellosis,avoideatingrawmeatandunpasteurizeddairyproducts.Youshouldalsobesuretowearprotectiveclothingwhenworkingwithanimalsoranimaltissues.Whatputspeopleatriskofcontractingbrucellosis?Avarietyofanimalscancontractbrucellosis,including:goatssheeppigscattledogsHumanscanthencontractthediseasefrominfectedanimals.Thebacteriacanbetransmittedvia:ingestion(eating)inhalation(breathing)contactwithanopenwoundThisiswhyyouhaveahigherchanceofgettingbrucellosisifyouspendalotoftimearoundanimals.Theriskisparticularlyhighforpeoplewhocomeincontactwithanimalurine,blood,ortissue.AnimalplacentamayalsobeinfectedwithBrucellabacteria.Youmaybeexposedtothebacteriaifyouhelpananimalgivebirth.Fortunately,brucellosisisrarelyspreadthroughcasualcontactwithpets.Peoplewhoeatordrinkrawanimalproductsarealsoathigherriskforcontractingbrucellosis.Unpasteurizedmilkandcheese,aswellasrawmeat,cancarryBrucellabacteria.Yourchancesofgettingbrucellosisarehigherif