Korean J Vet Res.  2012 Mar;52(1):19-24.

Epidemiological characteristics of bovine brucellosis in Korea, 2000~2004

• Nam HM
• Yoon H
• Kim CH
• More SJ
• Kim SJ
• Lee BY
• Park CK
• Jeon JM
• Wee SH

Abstract

This paper describes the epidemiological characteristics of bovine brucellosis in Korea during January 2000~September 2004, which encompasses the period when the incidence of bovine brucellosis increased abruptly. Data from the National Animal Infectious Disease Data Management System were used for this study. A range of epidemiological measures was calculated including annual herd and animal incidence. During the study period, there were 1,183 outbreaks on 638 farms. In beef cattle, annual herd incidence increased from 0.2 (2000) to 11.5 (2004, to September) outbreaks per 10,000 and annual animal incidence varied between 3.4 (2000) and 105.8 (2004, to September) per 100,000, respectively. On 401 (62.9%) infected farms during this period, infection was eradicated without recurrence. Recurrence of infection was significantly higher on farms where abortion was reported (53.3%), compared to farms where it was not (30.0%). On beef cattle farms, infection was introduced most frequently through purchased cattle (46.2%). Based on the results of this study, the establishment and spread of brucellosis in the Korean beef cattle population were mainly due to incomplete or inappropriate treatment of aborted materials and the movement of infected cattle.

Keyword

bovine brucellosis; epidemiology; incidence; Korea

MeSH Terms

Animals
Brucellosis
Brucellosis, Bovine
Cattle
Communicable Diseases
Disease Outbreaks
Incidence
Korea
Recurrence