Milford chronicle., 1935-04-19

Is very pfGbdleHl III CallAcs anu Ha.1
become OF as great economic import
ance to cattle owners as Bovine tu-
berculOsis. Bangs disease, which is
highly infectious in nature, occurs
in most domestic animals, and Is
transmissable to man. The preva-
lence OF this disease, together with
the resulting ills, has caused much
concern among livestock owners,
Since man Is also affected, this dis
ease has become recognized as pub
lie health prOblam.
AS early as the middle of the last
century, investigators recognized the
infectious nature OF the disease in
cattle which caused the cows to
abort their calves. and that it was
readily transmitted from one animal
/ to another. The exact cause re-
manned unknown until 1897, when
yDr. Bang. a Danish Veterinary In
VestigatoT, isolated a microscopic
germ from the body Of an infected
COW; and, by feeding it to mature
COWS, proved It. to be the causative
agent Of abOrtiOns. The work of DR..
Bang has been confirmed many times
in Europe and this country.
Ten years previous to this discOv-
cry, in 1887. Dr. Bruce. a British
Army surgeon discovered rAat Malta
fever, or Undulant fever, a disease
of man, which was prevalent in the
area about the Mediterranean Sea,
was caused by a microscopic germ
which was present in the milk and
body organs of the native goats. The
specific disease was transmitted to
man by the drinking of raw milk
from goats or by contact with their
discharges; however, these two
germs, one isolated from diseased
cattle and the other from diseased
goats or infected human beings,
were not considered to be in any
way related until 1918, when Alice
Evans, an employee Of the United
States Public Health Service, dem
onstrated that the germs known to
be the causative agents of Bangs
disease (abortiOn in cattle) and
those that caused Undulant Fever
in man were indistinguishaOie, eX-
cept in minor characteristics, and
that they undoubtedly belonged to
the same groHp Of micrO-organisms..
II was later found that the germ
known to be the cause Of abortion
in swine also belonged to the same
group. The three varieties are now
commonly referred to as "Brucella
AbOrtus" (cattle); "Brucella Suis"
(swine): and "Brucella Melitensis"
lgoat). Man is susceptible to all
three types of the germ.
At the present time, both livestock
officials and Public Health officials
are chiefly concerned with the eradi-
cation Of Bangs disease from cat
tie, as preventative of Undulant
fever in man and as a measure of
great economic importance to the
cattle owners.
In order to recognize the causes
and effects of the disease. it is neces-
sary TO know something of how the
disease is acquired, the diagnosis Of
the disease, and the method of eradi-
cation.
The germs Of Bangs disease gain
access to the body of cattle in three
ways: Through the mouth. through
the eye, and through the skin. The
mouth is the most common avenue
for entrance of the germs. Follow
ing the entrance of the live germs
into the body, they are carried by
the blood and lymph streams to the
various organs of the body.
There are no definite constant
symptoms that may be applied to
1rn nnf IF nj
ticn is probably the most noticeable
symptom, but this cannot be depend
ed upon to definitely indicate whe-
ther or not the animal is diseased.
Not all cattle that abort are infect
ed with Bangs disease. and con-
Eerse,y. not all cattle which are af-
fected with Bangs abort.
The diagnosis of Bangs disease is
made by the agglutinatiOn test, on
a sample of blood drawn from the
COW. in a sterile test tube, |
through a sterile needle. The ag-
glutinatiOn test, as used at present
for the diagnosis Of Bangs disease, /
has been proven in the opinion OF
and most daiTymen to
be accurate, dependable, and Of def /
mite value. As is true with all SER
tests, it has its limitations. I
Il cannot be determined by the test I
whether a COW will abort or has |
abOTted; however, it can be deter !
with accuracy, whether or 1
not the animal Is a source Of infec-
tiOn for the transmission of the dis !
ease to other animals or to man.
In some cases, particularly with I
cattle, a period of three or /
four months may elapse between the |
time they come into contact with /
the Brucella germs and the time
hey will react positively to the ag-
test. The cattle may Oe
Tested before or during this inter-
val OF time and pass a negative test.
Then, II they should abort, it would
seem that the agglutination test was
IN error; however. this would not
be the case. The agglutinatiOn test
would be accurate, but sufficient
time would not have elapsed to al
ow the action between the disease
germs and the body tissues to pro-
luce the reacting bodies in sufficient
numbers to be detachable by the
est
Bangs disease, when first intro-
luced into a herd. Affects almost all
he mature female animals during
he FIRST year or two. Following this
irst attack. most Of the animals be-
,ome' resistant and the number Of
lbortions rapidly decreases, although