Brucellosis (Dogs)
- Brucellosis in dogs is caused by Brucella suis, a notifiable disease.
- Brucella suis is a zoonotic agent, capable of causing serious illness in humans.
- Brucellosis in dogs is considered an Emergency Animal Disease (EAD). Testing for EAD’s must be approved by the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO). Approval can be sought by contacting the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
- Further Information can be found on the EAD page Brucellosis (Brucella suis)
Description
Brucellosis in dogs is a notifiable disease, caused by the bacteria Brucella suis. Brucella suis is endemic in feral pigs in Australia, and dogs are infected via close contact with feral pigs or their body fluids, or by being fed feral pig meat or offal. Therefore, Brucellosis is most often seen in dogs associated with pig hunting. Dogs can also be infected through contact with an infected dog or their body fluids, for example during mating or birth.
Brucella suis is also a zoonoses causing a flu-like illness that can be very serious in some people. While people involved in pig hunting are most at risk through direct contact with feral pigs or their carcasses, infected dogs can also be a risk to people through contact with their reproductive fluids and tissues particularly around whelping, lactation or surgical procedures.
See Brucellosis (Brucella suis) EAD Page for further information. See notifiable diseases for information including how to notify.
Clinical signs
Dogs infected with B. suis are often subclinical with up to 60% of seropositive dogs showing no clinical signs of infection. Pyrexia is not a consistent finding in clinical cases. The most common clinical signs include:
- Reproductive problems (dystocia, abortion, stillbirths, orchitis, epididymitis)
- Back pain (especially on palpation of lumbar spine)
- Lameness/joint swelling
Diagnosis and tests available
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is supported by history, clinical signs, positive serology and confirmed by positive culture or PCR for Brucella suis
Tests available
Click on + in the tables below for sampling requirements and additional test information
| Code | Name | Samples required | Species | Turnaround time | Price (excl. GST) | Notes | Test days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BR_ABO_CF | Brucella abortus CFT | Clotted blood/Serum (Red top)
|
Bovine, Ovine, Caprine, Equine, Porcine, Companion Animals (Canine), other species |
Up to 5D |
$16.45 |
D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. Related Disease Pages: |
Monday to Friday |
|
| BR_ABO_RBP | Brucella abortus RBT (Rose Bengal) | Clotted blood/Serum (Red top)
|
Up to 5D |
$9.35 |
D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. Related Disease Pages: |
Monday to Friday |
||
| BR_SUI_ABE | Brucella ELISA- SVANOVIR® -Brucella antibody C-ELISA Kit* (B.abortus, B melitensis & B.suis antibody detection) | Clotted blood/Serum (Red top) or Lith Hep blood/plasma (Green top)
|
Up to 7D |
$23.85 |
* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. Related Disease Pages: |
|||
| BRUCE_CLT | Brucella spp – Selective culture | Fresh tissue Body fluids (e.g. joint fluid, semen, abscess material) |
7D |
$82.10 |
D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. Related Disease Pages: |
Monday to Saturday2 2 Note: Prior approval of delivery and testing on Saturday is required. Please contact Customer Service on 1800 675 623 to seek approval. |
||
| BSUIS_PCR | Brucella suis PCR* | Fresh tissues- submit chilled
Swabs- submit chilled
PCR from cultured isolate |
5D |
$109.35 |
* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. |
|||
| BRUGEN_PCR | Brucella genus qPCR* | Fresh tissues Swabs PCR from culture |
Bovine, Ovine, Caprine, Porcine, Canine and Aquatic (Marine Mammals) |
5D |
$101.25 |
* Denotes analyses not covered by the NATA scope of accreditation. D (number of working days) and W (number of weeks). Test TAT does not include weekends and public holidays. |
Monday-Friday |
| Note |
|---|
Please note that from 02/03/02026, the eligibility criteria for subsidised laboratory testing for Brucella suis in dogs has changed. Diagnostic testing for dogs with clinical signs suggestive of Brucella suis will continue to be subsidised, but in-contact and surveillance testing of asymptomatic dogs will no longer be subsidised and laboratory fees for these tests will be charged to the submitter. |
Additional Information
Specimen Requirements
| Specimen Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Blood | Whole blood or serum samples for serology (Rose Bengal test (RBT) and complement fixation test (CFT)). Using gel tubes for blood collection reduces the likelihood of haemolysis during transport. Submitted Chilled. |
| Fresh Material | Tissues for bacterial culture/PCR. Note that the presence of antibiotic residues in samples may impact culture and possibly PCR)
|
| Body Fluids |
|
Packaging Requirements
| Packaging Requirements |
|---|
| Tissue samples must be submitted fresh, double bagged/potted (with at least one hard container), with clear identification that the package contains ‘Brucella Exclusion Tissue’ (e.g. a piece of paper immediately visible when package is opened). Tissue specimens should not be sliced open as this may increase the risk of human infection. |
| Specimens should be sent to the NSW DPIRD Laboratory Services, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568. A veterinary specimen advice submission form must accompany specimens submitted to the laboratory. The NSW DPIRD Laboratory Services can be contacted by phone: 02 46406325 or 1800 675 623 and email: laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au. |
Customer Service
Contact Customer Service for enquiries relating to testing and results, quotations and pricing, couriers, sample submission and invoicing.
NSW DPIRD's laboratories are committed to continual improvement of services. If you would like to provide feedback, please fill in and submit the online feedback form.
CONTACT DETAILS | |
|---|---|
| Phone | 1800 675 623 |
| Operating Hours | 8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday (excluding public holidays) 8:30am-12:00pm Saturday (for deliveries only) |
| Postal Address | Private Bag 4008, Narellan NSW 2567 |
Quotations
For Animal export, Plant health or Veterinary quotations, please complete the online quotation request
Submission Forms
Veterinary Specimen Advice Form
Please Note: These documents are not fully web accessible, please contact Customer Service (laboratory.services@dpird.nsw.gov.au) for more information.
Courier services and specimen delivery
For NSW submissions, please contact the relevant Customer Service team for courier account details and to order consignment notes.
For submitters outside of NSW, Couriers can be contacted directly to make bookings and arrange collection of packages at the submitters own cost.
Commercial couriers may use either road or air transport and specimens should therefore be packed in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements. Most submission sent by veterinarians to the APHL for testing are defined as “Biological Substance Category B” and must be packed according to the IATA packing instructions 650 (Biological Substance Category B). As requirements for transport can change, customers should consult with their transport agent to obtain current requirements.
Samples may also be hand delivered to the site during normal business hours (8.30am - 4.30pm).
Sample Type | Laboratory | Street Address |
|---|---|---|
Animal (including aquatic animals) | NSW Animal and Plant Health Laboratories (APHL) | EMAI, Woodbridge Road, Menangle NSW 2568 |
