Paraguay’s National University of Asunción (UNA) announced identifying a bovine brucellosis case in a 1.5-year-old heifer within its Veterinary Sciences Faculty.
The animal was intended for veterinary student training in artificial insemination practices.
Upon official notification, preventive Health Alert Protocols were activated.
The Veterinary Sciences Faculty affirmed its commitment to adhering to existing regulations set by the National Service for Animal Health and Quality (Senacsa) in the National Program for Control, Prevention, and Eradication of Bovine Brucellosis.
Viviana Ríos, Dean of UNA’s Veterinary Sciences Faculty, assured that the animal had no student contact, thus eliminating significant contagion risks among students.
Only the animal tested positive out of 38 samples collected by Senacsa’s Monitoring and Health Alert Committee.
It was vaccinated against brucellosis last year and was born from animals not exposed to it.
Following the health alert activation, the animal was isolated, and any movement requires official veterinary approval.
Annually, Paraguay conducts two vaccination campaigns against bovine brucellosis alongside foot-and-mouth disease to maintain a disease-free status.
The first campaign ended in March, vaccinating 985,579 cattle against bovine brucellosis, with the second phase beginning in May, as per Senacsa data.
BOVINE BRUCELLOSIS
Bovine brucellosis, often simply referred to as brucellosis, is a contagious disease of cattle caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella, specifically Brucella abortus.
The disease primarily causes reproductive problems in cattle, such as abortions, retained placenta, and infertility.
However, it can also lead to decreased milk production, weight loss, and lameness.
Brucellosis isn’t just limited to cattle; it can also affect other animals like goats, swine, and sheep, each caused by different species of the Brucella bacterium.
Furthermore, the disease is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals to humans.
In humans, it’s called Malta fever or undulant fever and can cause a range of symptoms from fever and fatigue to muscle pain and arthritis.
Due to its economic impact on livestock production and public health implications, many countries have control or eradication programs for bovine brucellosis.