Brucella abortus

Brucella abortus
Phylum	Proteobacteria
Class	Alpha Proteobacteria
Order	Rhizobiales
Family	Brucellaceae
Genus	Brucella
Species	B.abortus

Swollen caribou “knee” joint due to brucellosis. (Wildlife Alaska 2008, Wikimedia commons)

Brucella abortus is a species of the Brucella bacteria genus and causes bovine brucellosis. It mainly affects cattle, where transmission is by ingestion and abortion occurs in the last half of pregnancy. The placenta is covered by fibrinonecrotic tissue and the foetus often shows bronchopneumonia.

B.abortus uncommonly localises in joints, usually in carpal bursitis (hygroma) in cattle and bursitis in horses. Also in spleen and lymphatic tissue of non-pregnant animals. It has been isolated from closed cases of poll evil and fistulous withers in horses.

Control

Vaccination of heifers against B. abortus in endemic regions by Strain S19, a live attenuated vaccine, stimulating a cell-mediated immune response. The vaccination of young animals interferes with serological testing. The 45/20 bacterin vaccine is less effective and the newer RB51 vaccine has no LPS O-antigen therefore not detected by serological tests and gives good protection.

Brucella abortus Learning Resources
Literature Search Search for recent publications via CAB Abstract (CABI log in required)	Brucella abortus publications since 2000

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