Do you eat or drink unpasteurised milk and dairy products?
Brucellosis
Diseases in animals cause us two main concerns: economic, and the possibility of them spreading to humans - particularly if they readily mutate and are highly contagious. Whilst it is not generally fatal to adult animals or to humans, Brucellosis can have a significant effect economically, and is a hazard for humans. The degree of risk depends on the resources that a country has to fight it and on the standards of hygiene and degree of pasteurisation of milk and dairy products.
Brucellosis is an infectious disease that affects cattle, causing pregnant cows to abort. It is caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus. It can be transmitted to humans; usually only those who work with cattle. There is a slight risk of catching it from unpasteurised milk and dairy products. Pasteurisation kills the bacteria. Where meat from infected cattle is not allowed to enter the food chain, or food is properly cooked, infection from meat is highly unlikely. Symptoms in infected humans vary from none at all to serious recurrent or chronic fever (undulant fever) lasting for years afterwards.
Brucellosis is widespread though not common, causing problems around the world. Unpasteurised cheeses from affected countries can be a risk. Once an outbreak is suspected, movement restrictions may be imposed on the cattle, suspect cows slaughtered and further tests ordered. Brucella cultures are relatively slow growing so results can take 2 weeks or more.
Cattle may catch the disease by coming into contact with an infected cow's placenta or aborted foetus. They may also catch it from wild animals such as elk and bison, which may have caught it from cattle. Other species affected by various Brucella species include cattle, deer, dogs, elk, goats, pigs and sheep. Animals such as bison may stray from the parks where they are protected in winter when food is short, or on migration, and thus come into conflict with cattle owners who fear the disease.
Recent news stories involving brucellosis include:
Study Looks at Yellowstone Roads, Bison
Other Stories
Roads are prepared in Yellowstone National Park for snowmobiles and snowcoaches, but they also make it easier for bison to get around. Researchers do not see an overall effect on distribution or population increases, however. There is concern that bison, which may be infected with Brucellosis, are more likely to leave the park and come into contact with cattle as a result of the roads.
Permafrost May Be Shrinking Arctic Lakes
Satellite images of Siberia show that lakes where permafrost remains frozen are growing, but overall arctic lakes are shrinking. Whilst it might be expected that melting permafrost might add more water to lakes, it also allows water to seep through the previously-frozen soil.
New Logging Permits Banned in Amazon State
Police in Mato Grosso, Brazil have launched a crackdown on official corruption and permits for logging have been suspended. 119,000 acres of Amazon rainforest is said to have been illegally logged over the past two years by those arrested.
Red Tide Idles Shellfish Beds in Mass.
About two thirds of the shellfish beds in Massachusetts have been affected by red tide (a form of algal boom) and closed. This now includes the water around Nantucket.
Fish Role Eyed in Coal-Bed Methane Debate
The brackish groundwater that results from extracting natural gas from coal seams has long been considered an industrial pollutant, but some fish thrive in it. Now a researcher is looking to use the resultant fish manure to improve the soil irrigated with the water.
India, Pakistan Discuss Pipeline Projects
India is looking to import natural gas from Iran and Turkmenistan via Pakistan. A 2,775-kilometer (1,735-mile) Iran-Pakistan pipeline was proposed in 1996 but security concerns have stalled it.
Do you eat or drink unpasteurised milk and dairy products?
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