Equine Brucellosis: Current Understanding and Challenges.
Authors: Dorneles Elaine Maria Seles, Santana Jordana Almeida, Costa Anna Cecília Trolesi Reis Borges, Junqueira Danilo Guedes, Heinemann Marcos Bryan, Lage Andrey Pereira
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Equine Brucellosis – Current Understanding and Challenges Brucellosis in horses, donkeys, and mules primarily manifests as purulent infections of tendons, bursae, and joints rather than the reproductive complications commonly observed in other livestock species. A 2023 review by Dorneles and colleagues consolidates fragmented evidence on this disease, examining transmission pathways, diagnostic limitations, and epidemiological significance across equine populations. Mixed grazing or housing of equines with cattle and pigs represents the principal risk factor for infection; whilst cross-species transmission between equines and cattle is possible, it remains uncommon, making equine cases a useful sentinel indicator of brucellosis control effectiveness in other domestic species. The absence of validated diagnostic protocols for equine brucellosis substantially hampers accurate prevalence assessment and clinical interpretation, yet this gap becomes critical given that infected equines pose a genuine zoonotic risk to handlers and veterinary professionals. For equine practitioners, recognising brucellosis as an occupational hazard and understanding herd-level epidemiology—particularly the infection status of sympatric cattle—remains essential for biosecurity protocols and diagnostic decision-making in cases of chronic musculoskeletal abscessation.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Monitor equines sharing facilities with cattle or pigs for signs of tendon, bursal, and joint abscesses as indicators of potential Brucella exposure in the broader livestock operation.
- •Recognize equines as significant infection sources for human brucellosis; implement appropriate biosafety protocols when handling animals with suspected or confirmed infection.
- •Be aware that absence of reproductive signs does not rule out brucellosis in horses, unlike in cattle, requiring heightened clinical suspicion when tendon/joint abscesses are observed.
Key Findings
- •Equine brucellosis is characterized by abscesses in tendons, bursae, and joints, with reproductive disorders being rare in both males and females unlike in other species.
- •Joint breeding of horses, cattle, and pigs is the main risk factor for equine brucellosis, with transmission possible but unlikely among equine species.
- •Disease status in equines reflects brucellosis control effectiveness in sympatric domestic species, particularly cattle, serving as an indirect indicator of herd health.
- •No validated diagnostic test exists for equine brucellosis, limiting interpretation of available data and complicating disease surveillance.