KNYSNA NEWS - A very enriching brucellosis awareness workshop was recently hosted by the Knysna-based Eden District municipal health section, in collaboration with various local dairy farms in the Karatara district.
This workshop was conducted on May 26 at the Karatara Service Centre, situated outside Knysna.
Mthetho Sitonga, Eden’s environmental health practitioner for Sedgefield and surrounding areas, conducted the session. The workshop content focused on basic health and hygiene practices in the milking parlour, and awareness regarding brucellosis and the spread of the disease to humans.
What is brucellosis?
Also known as contagious abortion or “besmetlike misgeboorte”. The disease that infects humans is known as brucellosis, and the disease that infects humans via goats is known as Malta fever. Brucellosis can even occur in dogs in very rare cases.
• Ingestion of raw milk, cheese and butter that is contaminated with the germ.
• Eating of contaminated raw or undercooked meat.
• Touching of infected dead or live calf (especially the udder and uterus).
• Needle pricks with a vaccine.
Note: Contamination can occur through the eyes, mouth, nose and the skin.
• Muscle pain and/or joint pain.
• High fever attacks.
• Sudden and very severe headaches.
• Chronic tiredness.
• Golden rule – early diagnosis by means of a blood test.
• A patient is treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication (to relieve muscular pain).
Note: It can take years for a patient to fully recover.
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