Brucellosis in North American Wildlife

Effects of Pregnancy Prevention on Brucella Abortus Shedding in American Bison (Bison Bison)

“…The predominant mode of transmission is via infectious products of parturition, as aborted or nonviable fetuses, neonates, and associated tissues and fluids may be heavily colonized by bacteria. Contact with these materials by herd members facilitates a mucosal route of introduction of B. abortus into susceptible animals (Rhyan and Nol 2019). Other, less frequent, modes of transmission of B. abortus include ingestion of infected milk, or contact with infected genitalia or feces (Cheville et al 1998).…”

“…Brucellosis, probably introduced by cattle (Bos taurus), was first detected in bison of the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) of the US in the early twentieth century, and had emerged in the GYA elk (Cervus canadensis) population by the 1930s (US Department of the Interior 2000; Rhyan and Nol 2019). Since the 1950s, a cooperative state-federal brucellosis eradication program has largely eliminated B. abortus from US domestic cattle and bison herds.…”