Serious Diseases We Can Get From Animals

Brucellosis

Brucellosis is also a very rare zoonotic disease. It is transmitted from cattle to humans through unpasteurized dairy products, especially milk and cheese. Hunters can also contract the illness through contact with meat and fluids from the animals they kill. Transmission from animals to humans through the air is extremely rare, but it has been suspected in several cases. Doctors diagnose brucellosis using lab tests, and treatment involves a long course of a combination of antibiotics. Brucellosis doesn't cure itself, and if left untreated, it can cause problems in the bones and joints. Death from the disease is rare, even if it is untreated for years, and only two percent of untreated cases end up being fatal. Symptoms of brucellosis to look out for include fever, abdominal pain, general pain and weakness in the body, backache, headache, and lack of appetite. Hunters, farmers, and anyone who often works with animals are at the highest risk of contracting this painful condition. There is currently no vaccine available, but at least one university is now researching the bacteria that cause it in hopes of developing better treatment and possibly a vaccine.

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