Brucella suis in Australian dogs and pigs
Catherine C. Kneipp A B * , Siobhan M. Mor C and Anke K. Wiethoelter AA
B
C
Catherine Kneipp has been a veterinary clinician since graduating with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from The University of Queensland. Initially working in Australia and the UK, since 1992 Catherine has lived and worked in regional Queensland as a partner in a mixed animal practice in Goondiwindi. A general veterinary practitioner for over 35 years her chief interests lie in small animal medicine and surgery. She is currently completing research into Brucella suis brucellosis in dogs as a PhD student at The University of Melbourne. |
Siobhan Mor is an interdisciplinary researcher and epidemiologist with a dual background in veterinary medicine and public health. A Fellow of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (ACTM), Siobhan has held academic appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine in the US (assistant professor, 2009–11), The University of Sydney School of Veterinary Medicine in Australia (senior lecturer, 2012–18) and The University of Liverpool Institute for Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences in the UK (professor, 2018 to present). She holds a joint appointment with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and is based full time in Nairobi, Kenya. |
Anke Wiethoelter is an associate professor in veterinary epidemiology and One Health at the Melbourne Veterinary School with a research focus on infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock–human interface and determinants of health behaviour. She teaches epidemiology, evidence-based practice, and One Health to both undergraduate and graduate students. |
Abstract
Brucella suis is a zoonotic pathogen of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) that in Australia primarily infects hunters, hunting dogs and veterinary professionals. Endemic in the feral pig populations of Queensland for nearly 50 years, over the past decade B. suis has emerged in feral pigs in New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia. During this time there has been a significant rise in canine brucellosis cases, with nearly 10% of exposed dogs testing seropositive. Transmission to dogs occurs through contact with infected feral pigs, particularly during hunting, and the consumption of raw feral pig meat. Infected dogs commonly present with reproductive or osteoarticular disease, although many remain asymptomatic. The transmission risk from dogs to humans is low, except around whelping, when the bacteria may be excreted in reproductive tissues and fluids. Advances in serological testing and treatment protocols have improved management options for infected dogs, however government policy still often emphasises euthanasia. Evidence-based guidelines are required to balance zoonotic risk management with the effective care and welfare of infected dogs, highlighting the need for a formal review of current government policies.
Keywords: Australia, Brucella suis, brucellosis, feral pigs, hunting dogs, seroprevalence, transmission, zoonosis.
Catherine Kneipp has been a veterinary clinician since graduating with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from The University of Queensland. Initially working in Australia and the UK, since 1992 Catherine has lived and worked in regional Queensland as a partner in a mixed animal practice in Goondiwindi. A general veterinary practitioner for over 35 years her chief interests lie in small animal medicine and surgery. She is currently completing research into Brucella suis brucellosis in dogs as a PhD student at The University of Melbourne. |
Siobhan Mor is an interdisciplinary researcher and epidemiologist with a dual background in veterinary medicine and public health. A Fellow of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine (ACTM), Siobhan has held academic appointments at Tufts University School of Medicine in the US (assistant professor, 2009–11), The University of Sydney School of Veterinary Medicine in Australia (senior lecturer, 2012–18) and The University of Liverpool Institute for Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences in the UK (professor, 2018 to present). She holds a joint appointment with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and is based full time in Nairobi, Kenya. |
Anke Wiethoelter is an associate professor in veterinary epidemiology and One Health at the Melbourne Veterinary School with a research focus on infectious diseases at the wildlife–livestock–human interface and determinants of health behaviour. She teaches epidemiology, evidence-based practice, and One Health to both undergraduate and graduate students. |
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