infectious diseases
Brucellosis
Prevention of Brucellosis
Pasteurization of milk helps prevent brucellosis. Cheese that is made from unpasteurized milk and is aged<3 months may be contaminated. People handling animals or carcasses likely to be infected should wear goggles and rubber gloves and protect skin breaks from exposure. Programs to detect infection in animals, eliminate infected animals, and vaccinate young seronegative cattle and swine are required in the US and in several other countries. There is no human vaccine; use of the animal vaccine (a live-attenuated preparation) in humans can cause infection. Immunity after human infection is short-lived, lasting about 2 years. Postexposure antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended for high-risk people (eg, those who have unprotected exposure to infected animals or laboratory samples, who wereexposed to the vaccine with B. abortus [strain RB51)). Regimens includedoxycycline100 mg orally 2 times a day plusrifampin600 mg orally once a day for 3 weeks;rifampinis not used for exposure to the vaccine withB. abortus(strain RB51), which is resistant torifampin. 