Abstract
The incidence of human brucellosis is persistently high and even increasing. However, the situation of the main reservoir of this zoonosis with major health and economic consequences, namely the domestic ruminant population, remains largely unknown. Indeed, apart from reports on the situation in few regions where sound and effective programmes are in place, and a few targeted studies on limited areas in variouscountries, there is currently no clear picture of the epidemiological situation and the control programmes in place around the world. It is surprising, in this respect, that presentations on this subject at international congresses are rare, as this congress again demonstrates. Clearly, some knowledge or tools still need to be developed or refined. However, the experience gained in several regions, notably Europe and North America, and the research carried out over many decades show that effective tools are available and the appropriate methodology sufficiently advanced to make substantial progress in the control or even eradication of this reservoir. Resource constraints, both human and financial, but also and above all a lack of political will to conduct long-term control programmes in close association with the concerned stakeholders, are obviously to blame. This presentation, which opens the session on ‘Epidemiology, control and eradication’, aims to reiterate the main elements of a diagnostic, health decision and control strategy based on the knowledge acquired in the epidemiology of the disease and on the basic principles of infectious disease diagnosis in general. It is hoped that, at a time when the One Health concept is on everyone’s lips, the animal and public health authorities will become more actively engaged in the fight against this infection, which is so detrimental to both human and animal populations.
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