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NVAP Reference Guide: Brucellosis

(Control and Eradication)

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NVAP Reference Guide: Table of Contents

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Preface

Introduction

Control and Eradication

Brucellosis

Johne’s Disease

Pseudorabies (PRV)

Tuberculosis

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

Scrapie

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)

Poultry
National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)

Avian Influenza (AI)

Exotic Newcastle disease (END)

Equine Disease

Aquatic Animal

Aquatic Animal National Health Plan

Aquatic Animal Health Activities

Animal Health Emergency Management

Animal Health Emergency Management

Emergency Response Structure

National Response Framework (NRF)

National Incident Management System (NIMS)

National Animal Health Emergency Management System (NAHEMS)

Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Plan (FAD PReP)

FAD Recognition and Initial Response

National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps (NAHERC)

Notifiable Diseases and Conditions

WOAH and International Standards

Cleaning and Disinfection

Importance of Cleaning & Disinfection

Cleaning

Disinfection

Regulation of Disinfectants

Safety

Disease Surveillance

Laboratory Submissions

Animal Movement

Interstate Regulations

Interstate Movement of Cattle, Horses, Swine, Sheep and Goats

Issuing Interstate Animal Movement Documents

International Animal Movement

Issuing International Health Certificates (IHCs) for Live Animal Movement

Common Problems Observed on Certificates for Live Animal Movement
Animal Identification 

Animal Identification

Cattle Identification

Swine Identification

Equine Identification

Sheep and Goat Identification

Fowl Identification

Compliance and Regulations

Appendix

A: 9 CFR PARTS 160, 161, and 162

B: APHIS VS District Offices

C: State Animal Health Officials

D: Forms

E: Other Organizational Information with Contact Points

F: Web Sites

G: Equine Teeth and Aging

Brucellosis is a contagious, infectious, and communicable disease, primarily

affecting cattle, bison, and swine, and is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella.

Brucella abortus (B. abortus) primarily affects bovine species; however, goats,

sheep, and horses are also susceptible. B. suis primarily affects porcine species; and

a third strain, B. melitensis, primarily affects goats and sheep. A fourth strain, B. ovis

, which primarily affects sheep, exists in the United States but it does not cause

significant disease problems. Currently, there is no program or initiative to establish

a program for the control of B. ovis or B. melitensis. 

In its principal animal hosts, brucellosis causes loss of young through spontaneous

abortion or birth of weak offspring, reduced milk production, and infertility. It can

affect both animals and humans. Brucellosis is transmitted from animals by direct

contact with infected blood, placentas, fetuses, or uterine secretions, or through the

consumption of infected and raw animal products (especially milk and milk

products). There is no economically feasible treatment for brucellosis in livestock. 

The regulations of the APHIS Brucellosis Eradication Program vary based on the

brucellosis status of each State. Minimum standards are set forth in the Brucellosis
Eradication Uniform Methods and Rules (226.42 KB), a publication distributed by VS;

however, some States have more restrictive requirements. Check with the

appropriate APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) Area Offices for testing and vaccination

policies. Contact the State or Federal animal health officials in your State to obtain

all necessary forms, mailers, identification tags, and other items required for both

vaccinating and testing eligible animals.  (Fees may apply.) 

Interstate Shipment

Before testing for interstate shipment, obtain State-specific regulations by

contacting the State animal health official’s office in the importing State.

International Export

When preparing to test and certify an animal for international export, follow the

requirements found in the National Center for Import and Export, Animal Regulations

Library and then contact the  APHIS VS Area Offices for additional guidance.

VS Form 4-33

VS Form 4–33, Brucellosis Test Record (and, if applicable, a VS Form 4-33A,

Continuation Sheet) must be completed for each animal or herd tested. (A separate

VS Form 4-33 must also be completed for each species tested).  (See Appendix D for

an example of this form and instructions for completing it). The VS Form 4-33

requires that a reason be provided for conducting the test. Reasons may include

export (specify the test required by the importing country), interstate movement

(depends on the destination State), sale (including local change of ownership in

many States), show or fair, diagnostic assessment (such as abortion), and owner

request. If infection is suspected or confirmed, regulatory officials will contact you,

the owner, or both, to develop a herd plan. 

VS Form 4-54

VS Form 4-54, Brucellosis Test Record - Market Cattle Testing Program, is used for

brucellosis tests conducted as part of the Market Cattle Testing Program. This

program governs the testing of cattle and bison at markets (first point of
concentration) or slaughter. (See Appendix D for an example of this form and

instructions for completing it.) 

Testing

Bovine— A complete herd blood test must include all cattle or bison six months of

age and older, except steers and spayed heifers, unless otherwise specified by a

Designated Epidemiologist.

Swine—A complete herd test must include all breeding swine more than six months

of age unless they are being fed for slaughter and are not in contact with breeding

swine. Vietnamese potbellied pigs are considered domestic swine for the purposes of

disease control and eradication procedures and, as such, fall under the same

regulations in Title 9 of the CFR.  All tested swine must be identified with an official

eartag, tattoo, or other official identification. (Also see the APHIS Animal Disease

Traceability guidance “Official Eartags:  General Criteria and Options (882.33 KB).”)  

Exotic Species—When dealing with exotic or non-domestic species, contact your

State animal health official or the appropriate APHIS VS Area Offices.

Blood Collection and Submission

Identify each animal with either an official USDA metal eartag (placed in the upper

middle portion of the right ear), an official USDA RFID eartag (placed in the middle of

the left ear), an individual animal’s breed registration tattoo or brand, or an

individual registration number (in conjunction with an official eartag, or breed

registration tattoo or brand) issued by a breed association recognized by VS. (Also

see the APHIS Animal Disease Traceability guidance “Official Eartags:  General

Criteria and Options (882.33 KB).”) Record the information from the identification or

vaccination eartag, the registration tattoo, and the age (months or years), sex, and

breed for each animal on VS Form 4-33.

Take proper precautions by wearing protective gloves and eyewear when in contact

with animals being tested. Avoid direct contact with any retained placenta, vaginal

discharges, aborted fetuses, and other reproductive tissues, as these materials are

potential sources of transmission of brucellosis.
Note:  If the animal has an approved official identification tag (e.g., NUES, RFID, etc.)

in place, record the information from that eartag on the VS Form 4-33, and do not

place a new official USDA metal or RFID eartag in the ear.

Collect 3 to 5 mL of blood. Take appropriate precautions to prevent hemolysis by (1)

sending the samples with ice packs or (2) centrifuging the blood and sending the

serum only.  (See “ Laboratory Submissions.”) Because swine blood is particularly

susceptible to hemolysis, take extra precautions in handling it. If bleeding the animal

with a needle and syringe, do not extrude the sampled blood from the syringe

through the needle into the test tube. This practice can cause hemolysis. Blood or

serum samples should be delivered to the appropriate cooperative State or Federal

laboratory as soon as possible for testing.  Test results will be interpreted by State or

Federal regulatory officials. You may be contacted for additional individual animal or

herd history. 

Animals Eligible for Vaccination

Heifer calves should be vaccinated between four and 12 months of age; however,

many States have more restrictive age requirements for vaccination. Before

vaccinating any animals for brucellosis, be certain that you understand and follow

the applicable State’s requirements. Adult vaccination for brucellosis may only be

conducted by State and/or Federal officials. If you have questions concerning this

program, contact the appropriate State animal health official or APHIS VS Area

Offices.

Instructions for Vaccination

Step 1:  Vaccine Handling and Administration

1. Keep the vaccine stored properly according to label instructions.

2. Check the expiration date before using.

3. Reconstitute the vaccine following the label instructions.

4. Mix the RB51 vaccine just before using; keep it cool and out of direct sunlight. 

5. Use caution. RB51 may cause clinical brucellosis in humans if accidentally

injected, sprayed in the eyes, or allowed prolonged contact with the skin.  If you

are exposed, contact a physician as soon as possible.
6. After reconstitution, the vaccine loses potency rapidly. Do not reconstitute

more vaccine than will be used in one hour; if working in warm temperatures,

keep the vial on an ice pack to maintain viability.

7. To avoid contamination and accidental vaccine exposure to other animals,

maintain separate syringes and needles for brucellosis.

8. Administer 2 mL of the vaccine subcutaneously. 

Step 2:  Tattooing

1. Clean the inside of the right ear to enhance ink penetration. Green ink works

best for legibility, especially in black-pigmented ears.

2. Tattoo the ear with the appropriate coding between cartilage ribs in the middle

of the ear.  Allow for normal growth of the ear. If ear marks or notches do not

permit this location, try to place the tattoo as near as possible to the

recommended position.

3. Apply the ink with a dauber and thoroughly rub the ink into the tattoo holes.

Vaccination tattoos must be applied to the right ear. For B. abortus Strain

RB51 vaccinates, the tattoo will include the letter “R” for RB51, the U.S.

Registered shield and “V,” and the last digit of the year in which the

vaccination was conducted. Documentation of brucellosis vaccination

tattoo information on the VS Form 4-33 (along with the VS Form 4-33A,

Continuation Sheet, if applicable) and VS Form 4-54 is essential for

accurate test interpretation.

Below is an example of the tattoo that would be applied in the right ear of

a female calf that was brucellosis vaccinated in a year ending in the

number “2”. The first character is an “R”, indicating vaccination with

RB51. The middle character is the Official Brucellosis Shield. The third

character represents the last number of the year that the calf was

vaccinated. (In this example, the calf was vaccinated in either 2002 or

2012.) Please contact your State animal health official if you are interested

in obtaining the Brucellosis Shield digit for your vaccination pliers.

Example of an RB51 vaccination tattoo applied in the right ear

Step 3: Records
1. Record the information (eartag, age in months, breed, sex, and whether

purebred or grade) on VS Form 4–26, Brucellosis Vaccination Record. (See

Appendix D for examples and instructions for completing these forms.) 

2. Use only official USDA orange metal vaccination tags and official USDA tattoos

placed in the right ear. Individual animal registered breed association

registration brands or tattoos may be substituted for official eartags. Official

USDA RFID eartags, placed in the left ear to avoid interference with the official

vaccination tattoo, may be substituted for the official USDA orange metal

vaccination tags.

3. Promptly submit the vaccination records to your State program records office

as instructed by your State animal health official. Many States require that

records be submitted within seven days of vaccination; check with your State

for specific guidelines.  Note: Animals are not considered to be official

vaccinates until the State animal health official or APHIS VS District Office has

recorded the certificate information. Timely submission of certificates is

essential.

4. On rare occasions, it may be necessary to recertify a vaccination for an animal

that has no tag or an illegible tattoo.  Contact your State animal health official

or APHIS VS Area Offices for permission and specific instructions. 

Working with Infected Herds 

The details of eradicating brucellosis from herds known to be infected are beyond

the scope of this guidance. Your State animal health official, the APHIS VS Area

Offices for your State, and your local regulatory veterinarian will work with you and

your client to develop a herd plan.