Brucellosis, also known as undulant fever or Malta fever, is a zoonotic disease caused by the Brucella species. In South Africa, the disease is primarily associated with Brucella abortus (common in cattle), whilst Brucella melitensis (from goats and sheep) and Brucella suis (from pigs) have also been reported. Recently, we also reported a case of Brucella canis brucellosis (from dogs). Brucella anthropi, previously Ochrobactrum anthropi, has recently been added to the genus but is neither a zoonotic disease nor a causative agent of typical brucellosis.
Brucellosis in South Africa