Insights from U.S. Brucellosis Surveillance

Brucellosis, a reportable bacterial disease in the U.S. caused by Brucella species, can occur when people ingest unpasteurized dairy products or undercooked meat or come into direct contact with feral animal carriers (e.g., while hunting or slaughtering). Human-to-human transmission is rare. Although the U.S. incidence of brucellosis diminished and then stabilized in the last half of the 20th century, presumably due to pasteurization use, dozens of infections still occur annually. A nationwide case definition for brucellosis was proposed in 2010, and a new CDC report characterizes data from then through 2024.