Animal Care and Human Health

I was interested to see these stories on the BBC. I was infected with two strains of Brucellosis in South Africa in 1996 and 12 years on, I am still sick. I caught the bovine strain, b. abortus and the goat strain, b. melitensis.

There is an interesting thing about b. melitensis. Florence Nightingale believed in good healthy food so when she was in Scutari, she and a lieutenant jointly bought a milch goat. Eventually, Miss Nightingale came down with Crimean fever and was sent home to England where she stayed in bed for 17 years. She could not bear light or noise and had severe pain. She could tolerate only one visitor at a time but she wrote some public health recommendations that still apply today. When I trained as a nurse in the 70s, we were told that Florence had become 'neurotic' when she went to bed for 17 years. Poor Florrie! To be so badly misjudged! In the absence of antibiotics, she had no choice but to go to bed. No wonder she complained of severe pain and other unpleasant symptoms. Search the internet for Florence Nightingale + brucellosis and see what you find. It is an eye opener. You could also try searching for Crimean Fever.

Anyway, the BBC articles:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2668517.stm
Villagers in a remote part of the former Soviet Union are contracting a disease from their animals which can cause long-term health damage.

Doctors are working in the Kock Kor valley in Kyrgyzstan to help villagers understand how to avoid becoming infected with brucellosis.

The condition, which can be caught by coming into contact with animal products, perhaps by milking a cow, drinking milk or eating cheese, can cause a range of symptoms similar to the flu, including fever, sweats, headaches, back pains, and physical weakness.

It can also cause severe infections of the central nervous systems or lining of the heart, or long-lasting or chronic symptoms including recurrent fevers, joint pain, and fatigue

Herd Slaughtered after Outbreak
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/3551497.stm
The herd of cattle at the centre of a brucellosis outbreak in Cornwall has been culled.

All 124 cattle, from Landare Farm near Liskeard, have been slaughtered as a precautionary measure.

A bull is suspected of being at the centre of the outbreak, the first in England for a decade.

The disease, which can spread to humans, was confirmed on Thursday after a number of cows on the farm were said to have miscarried.

Brucellosis
Causes abortion in pregnant cows
Vets, farmers, meat inspectors, abattoir workers most at risk
Causes mild flu-like illness, while others experience recurrent or chronic fever, which can be very serious and last several years
Last case in England was 1993