Canine brucellosis due to Brucella canis: description of the disease and control measures

Authors

  • Fabrizio De Massis
  • Flavio Sacchini Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale
  • Antonio Petrini Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale
  • Fabio Bellucci Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale
  • Margherita Perilli Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale
  • Giuliano Garofolo Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale
  • Giovanni Savini Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale
  • Manuela Tittarelli Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12834/VetIt.2561.16874.1

Keywords:

Brucellosis, Brucella canis, Dog, Zoonosis

Abstract

Brucellosis is a contagious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella, which can affect different animal species. Dogs may occasionally be infected with B. abortus, B. melitensis or B. suis, or by the endemic form of the disease, caused by B. canis. Among the brucellosis‑affecting domestic animals, that of the dog is certainly the least frequent, but also the least studied. Canine brucellosis due to B. canis represents the dog‑specific brucellosis, both because it is the main susceptible animal species, and because it constitutes its fundamental reservoir of infection. The disease can also affect humans, although its course does not assume the characteristics of severity typical of the infection determined by the ‘classical’ species of the genus Brucella. In Italy, there are frequent imports of dogs from countries where the disease is present, often with non‑controlled movements and without sanitary controls. Considering that the zoonotic potential of the disease can be favored by the close cohabitation between man and dog, which occurs especially in urban environments, canine brucellosis has to be regarded as a public health problem susceptible to introduction and spread in the Italian territory.

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Published

2022-06-29

How to Cite

De Massis, F., Sacchini, F., Petrini, A., Bellucci, F., Perilli, M., Garofolo, G., Savini, G., & Tittarelli, M. (2022). Canine brucellosis due to Brucella canis: description of the disease and control measures. Veterinaria Italiana, 58(1), 5–23. https://doi.org/10.12834/VetIt.2561.16874.1

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