Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (9): 4253-4266.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.09.011

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Epidemic Status and Analysis of Brucellosis in Wildlife

YAN Wenlan1(), FENG Yu1, XUE Tianqi2, ZHANG Zihao3, NARAN Bileg4, JIANG Hui1,*()   

  1. 1. Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
    2. College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225000, China
    3. Agricultural Technology Extension Service Center of Ruyang County, Luoyang 471200, Henan, China
    4. Xilamulunsumu people's Government of Balin Right banner, Chifeng 025150, China
  • Received:2024-11-18 Online:2025-09-23 Published:2025-09-30
  • Contact: JIANG Hui E-mail:ywenlan@163.com;jianghui01@caas.cn

Abstract:

Brucellosis is a zoonosis caused by Brucella infection, which is prevalent worldwide and seriously threatens the health of humans and animals. Brucella has a wide range of hosts. In addition to humans and livestock, it can also cause disease in a variety of wild animals. Some studies have shown that there is a certain correlation between the prevalence of brucellosis in wild animals and that of brucellosis in livestock. Even in some areas where livestock brucellosis is purified, the case reports of wild animals leading to brucellosis in livestock have occurred currently, but there are few reports of brucellosis infection in wild animals. To know global cases of wildlife brucellosis, this study analyzed cases on wildlife brucellosis reported by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) from 2012 to 2022. The analysis considered multiple factors, including year, region and country, host species, and Brucella strains. The results showed that a total of 6 307 cases of brucellosis in wildlife were reported in WOAH from 2012 to 2022. According to the year analysis, the largest number of cases was reported in 2015, with 1 248 cases, followed by 2014, with 1 224 cases. By region and country analysis, the highest number of cases was reported in Europe (6 094 cases), followed by Africa (163 cases) and the Americas (49 cases). The largest number cases of countries reported were Italy (2 477 cases), followed by Spain (2 365 cases), Estonia (928 cases), South Africa (163 cases), Hungary (121 cases). According to the analysis of host species, wild boar (5 862 cases) was the wildlife with the highest number of reported cases of brucellosis, followed by African buffalo (140 cases), igoat (55 cases), roe deer (47 cases). According to the analysis of Brucella strains, the infection rate of Brucella suis was the highest in the reported cases, accounting for 92%. Followed by the Brucella abortus, accounting for more than 6%. The results of this study showed that brucellosis was prevalent in a variety of wildlife in many regions and countries in the past ten years, with Brucella suis as the main epidemic strain. The data of this study provided a basis for the prevention and control of brucellosis in wildlife in the world.

Key words: brucellosis, wildlife, cases, epidemic strains

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