Animal Brucellosis in Egypt: Review on Evolution, Epidemiological Situation, Prevalent <i>Brucella</i> Strains, Genetic Diversity, and Assessment of Implemented National Control Measures
Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease that has a significant economic and public health impact, especially in endemic countries. This review delves deeply into brucellosis’s current epidemiological situation and potential sources of livestock infection in Egypt during the last two decades. MLV...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/170 |
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| Summary: | Brucellosis is a neglected zoonotic disease that has a significant economic and public health impact, especially in endemic countries. This review delves deeply into brucellosis’s current epidemiological situation and potential sources of livestock infection in Egypt during the last two decades. MLVA-16 and Whole Genome Sequencing based on core-genome SNP analyses confirm the presence of different <i>B. abortus</i> and <i>B. melitensis</i> outbreak strains, both older widely disseminated <i>Brucella</i> strains and newly introduced ones. Despite implementing the test-and-slaughter control strategy over forty years, the disease is still endemic, and different <i>Brucella</i> species circulate among several animal species. The raising of mixed animal species in the same households or farms, exposure to aborted animals, and lack of public awareness about brucellosis transmission are among the main risk factors for increasing livestock brucellosis prevalence in Egypt. Young animals’ voluntary vaccination, lack of a nationwide animal identification system, and uncontrolled animal movement stand beyond the ineffectively applied control strategy and may be subdued by applying mass vaccination to decrease disease prevalence dramatically and target imported camels, domestic pigs, and dogs (housed and stray) in the national control surveillance. Increasing awareness through educational campaigns is compulsory to reduce brucellosis transmission risk to livestock/humans. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-2607 |