Emerging Issues in Small Ruminant Health: A Look At A Few Zoonoses Old And New

Most bacterial diseases associated with sheep and goat abortion have some potential for zoonotic transmission. The main diseases of concern as identified by Edmondson et al (2012) are: Brucella melitensis, C, burnetii (Q fever), Chlamydophila abortus, Salmonella, Toxoplasma gondii and Campylobacter jejuni. Knowledge of abortifacient zoonotic pathogens, their clinical signs, gross lesions and their potential risk to humans is critical to prevent zoonotic disease to veterinarians and small ruminant owners. The focus of these proceedings will be Coxiella burnetii as there has been growing public health concern over the risk to the human population beyond simple occupational exposure, along with a mention of some of the major foodborne zoonotic pathogens and a quick review of Contagious ecthyma (orf). A recent Coxiella/Q fever outbreak in the Netherlands resulted in 4000 human cases and the euthanasia of 50,000 goats (Menzies et al 2013).