Brucellosis

What is brucellosis?

An illness caused by Brucella bacteria, which mainly infect cattle, goats, sheep, pigs and dogs, and can pass to people.

Signs

Feels like flu: fever, weakness, feeling unwell and losing weight. It is often mild, so it can be missed. Illness usually starts two to four weeks after catching it.

How it spreads

Mostly from drinking raw (unboiled, unpasteurised) milk or eating cheese made from it, especially from goats or sheep. Also from touching infected animals, their blood or birth tissues. Rarely passes between people.

How to protect yourself

Only drink milk that is pasteurised or boiled. Wear gloves and protection when handling animal births or carcasses. Vaccinating animals helps protect people.

Get medical help

See a doctor if you have fever or flu-like illness after contact with farm animals or raw milk products, and say so.

In Dooram's words, from the World Health Organization. Source: WHO fact sheet: Brucellosis, read 8 October 2026. General information, not medical advice.