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Brucellosis

 

Has anyone of you ever heard of Brucellosis ? (better known as "Undulant Fever") I have received a safety bulletin that really got my attention. A young forester was field dressing white tail deer and feral hogs and was infected my this bacteria that causes Brucellosis. This really shocked me and I just wanted to pass this information along to you.   NOTE: Click Here to see data.

 

 

The disease in cattle is Brucellosis. The disease in cattle is caused by Brucella abortus, the disease in goats by Brucella melitensis, the disease in pigs by Brucella  suis.

 

 Man can get all 3 types and all are referred to as undulant fever. Brucella suis, the pig form, causes the most severe disease in man.

 

 The cow form has for the most part been wiped out through testing and slaughter in both Alabama and Mississippi. It is usually spread to man through raw milk, but can be spread through infectious secretions and the placenta and aborted fetus.

 

 The goat form is spread to man through goat milk and cheese.

 

 The pig form, which we are more concerned with is transmitted to man mainly through contact with blood. It was at one time in some areas a major concern for slaughter house workers. It seems that the ones on the kill floor and the gutting area were most at risk. Further down the production and carcass breakdown line there were no documented cases of transmission.

 

 A form also exists in dogs, Brucella canis, but to my knowledge is not a potential problem for man.

 

 Though each species has it's own type, under the right conditions, spread from species to species can and does occur.

 

Through Guinea pig studies in the 50's, researchers concluded that Brucella suis is transmissible through unbroken skin.

 

 Sorry for such a long thread but this disease is enough of a threat to hunters that I thought the "rest of the story" should be told.

 

 BOTTOM LINE IS WEAR RUBBER GLOVES WHEN CLEANING ANY GAME ANIMAL.