Brucella Abortus

Brucella abortus is a gram-negative bacterium that is found in cattle populations1. This intracellular
parasite is a blood borne pathogen that causes premature abortion of a cattle fetus. What makes
this bacterium so dangerous is that it is zoonotic, meaning it can be transferred from an animal to a
human host and still remain pathogenic2. In humans this disease cause both acute and chronic
symptoms, but can be treated with antibiotics. Because of this economic effect on the cattle
business and the disease potential in humans, the US has spent close to $3.5 billion trying to
vaccinate the cattle herds in the US3. It is possible for B. abortus to be spread from wild populations
of elk and bison into domestic cattle herds and this is why the US government continues to be
vigilant in tracking potential cases within herds