**7. Prevention and control of human brucellosis**

Milk and dairy products play an important role in the transmission of *Brucella* to humans, and the risks are increased because an infectious dose of just 10–100 organisms is sufficient to cause systemic infection. The genus *Brucella* is composed primarily of mammalian pathogens, and the key species are food-producing animals, especially milk-producing animals [42].

Additionally, Brucellosis' zoonotic status is now established. Therefore, the only way to effectively prevent sickness in humans is to remove the animal reservoir.

Medical, public health and veterinary authorities must often work together to eradicate brucellosis and ensure its prevention and control. The beginning of a good control program begins with this cooperation.

The concept of "One Health" (OH) is a catch-all phrase referring to the commonalities between people, animals, plants, and the environment. Integrative health practices are encouraged by increasing cross-disciplinary communication and coordination.

The following guidelines should be followed to reduce the risk of contracting brucellosis [43]:

## **7.1 Prevention of food-borne brucellosis**

#### *7.1.1 Milk and dairy products*

Milk from affected bovines (i.e., cattle, buffalo, camels, sheep, goats, yaks, and reindeer) is a major contributor to the disease of milk-borne brucellosis.

There is a particularly high danger from consuming milk and dairy products like cheese, cream, and ice cream [44]. All milk and dairy products destined for human consumption, whether directly ingested or utilized in the production of other foods, must undergo proper heat treatment in one of the following ways [45]:

• The process of pasteurization.


Be wary of various kinds of cheese, especially soft cheeses made from raw milk, as they may harbor high numbers of *Brucella* species if they have not been adequately heated. Making cheese in this style should be highly discouraged. We found that the acidity of hard cheese mitigates some of the risks associated with eating it, allowing us to infer that it is safer than softer varieties. The acidification methods used to make sour milk, sour cream, yogurt, and butter; all drastically lower the *Brucella* concentration.

It is also important to keep in mind that the rennet enzyme, if it is made from the stomachs of *Brucella*-infected ruminants, can potentially be a source of infection [46]. Rennet enzyme is a complex set of enzymes, such as chymosin, pepsin, and lipase, naturally present in the fourth stomach or abomasum of an unweaned calf, kid, or lamb. Chymosin essentially turns milk into a soft cheese in the stomach of these young animals so that digestion occurs more slowly and nutrients can be absorbed. Cheesemakers mimic nature by using the coagulating capability of chymosin to separate milk into the solid curds needed for cheesemaking and the liquid whey that is left over. *Brucella* can be transmitted to humans and animals through the watery whey layer that remains after cheese manufacturing. Additionally, if shipping containers are not cleaned properly before use, it could contaminate the contents.

Also, be cautious of ice cream made with milk that has been infected with *Brucella*, as milk can be extremely dangerous, especially when it comes from a variety of sources that may be combined to form a single serving. Heat treatment is required for all milk used in this formulation.

#### *7.1.2 Meat and meat products*

Estimates vary but as little as 10–100 *Brucellae* are sufficient to infect a human [42]. Therefore, contaminated meat and meat products may be a vector for spreading the disease, especially if they are sourced from animals slaughtered during the acute phase of the disease and are eaten raw or undercooked. There is arising in a real possibility of transmission of human brucellosis from the consumption of meat and meat products. Household meat and meat product processing procedures can be a source of widespread pathogens exposure risk to the family and the community [47].

Not only the hunters and butchers but also other family members may have contact with the meat. Brucellosis is a disease that can be passed from animals to humans through contact with their flesh, organs (liver, kidney, spleen, viscera, udder, testicles), blood, or even saliva. The killing of an infected animal or the preparation of infected meat can also spread the disease. Most people are not in danger of contracting brucellosis but those who work in the veterinary industry, a slaughterhouse, a meat processing plant, a farm, and a hunting camp or who eat raw or undercooked meat are [47].

The high concentration of *Brucella* species in the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, mammary glands, testes, and bone marrow of the carcasses warrants special attention [48]. In this situation, these tissues, if not appropriately cooked, can cause infection by contact or ingestion.

Contamination of other foods and cooking utensils is possible during the handling and preparation of contaminated meat and offal.

### *Milk Borne Brucellosis DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.109124*

All meat products must be fully cooked prior to consumption because meat borne brucellosis cannot be prevented by using most common meat preservation methods such as salting, drying, smoking, refrigeration, or freezing [47].
