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Veterinary Medicine vocabulary · Animal Diseases

Brucellosis

Meaning in veterinary medicine, with examples

/ˌbruːsəˈləʊsɪs/nounCommon term

In veterinary medicine, brucellosis means: A bacterial disease that causes abortion and infertility in cattle, sheep, goats and other animals. It can spread to people, mainly through raw milk and contact with aborted material.

In Turkish: bruselloz, yavru atma hastalığı, Malta humması (insanlarda)

How it is used

A notifiable zoonosis in many countries, including Turkey. Vets take blood samples for herd testing, vaccinate young females and wear protective clothing when dealing with abortions. In people it is known as Malta fever or undulant fever.

Example sentences

  1. Two cows aborted late in pregnancy, so we're testing the herd for brucellosis.

  2. Brucellosis is one of the reasons why cheese made from raw milk can be risky.

Common collocations

  • brucellosis testing
  • brucellosis vaccination
  • brucellosis-free herd
  • bovine brucellosis
  • zoonosisA disease that can pass between animals and people, such as rabies, brucellosis, ringworm or leptospirosis. The plural is zoonoses.
  • notifiable diseaseA disease that, by law, must be reported to the government veterinary authorities as soon as it is suspected, even before it is confirmed.
  • cattleCows, bulls, steers and calves kept for milk or meat. It is a plural noun with no singular form.
  • pregnantCarrying one or more developing young in the uterus. Farm vets often use species phrases instead, such as in calf, in lamb or in foal.

More terms: Animal Diseases

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.