Brucellosis in India: Comparing exposure amongst veterinarians, para-veterinarians and animal handlers.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. It mainly spreads from infected animals to humans through direct contact with infected animals, their blood, placenta, aborted foetuses and other body fluids. Consumption of unpasteurized milk and dairy products is another important route of transmission.

Veterinarians, para-veterinarians and animal handlers are at high risk because of their frequent contact with livestock. This study was conducted in Punjab, India, to compare brucellosis exposure, awareness and preventive practices among these three occupational groups.

The study found that animal handlers had the highest reported Brucella infection prevalence (31.25%), followed by para-veterinarians (11.11%) and veterinarians (7.5%). Animal handlers also showed lower awareness of disease transmission and less use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during high-risk procedures.

The findings highlight the importance of occupational safety, regular health screening, proper PPE use, awareness programmes and livestock vaccination. Improving training and biosecurity practices can help reduce brucellosis transmission among veterinary workers in India.