An update on Brucellosis: Endemic and Potential Global Re-emerging Zoonotic and Foodborne Disease

Brucellosis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease, which spreads in different ways: respiratory (inhalation), contact, alimentary (consumption of unpasteurized milk and contaminated dairy products) or a combination of these. The disease has existed in the Republic of Macedonia since 1980, with over 12.000 reported and confirmed human cases. All neighbouring and many other European countries have also reported existence of brucellosis with significantly different incidence. Brucellosis remains a rare disease in EU/EEA. In 2014, 354 confirmed cases of brucellosis were reported by 18 EU/EEA countries. The highest rates were reported by Greece (135), Spain (60) and Portugal (50). The control of brucellosis is very complicated due to large reservoirs in domestic and wild animals. The control of animal brucellosis is imperative for the control of human brucellosis.