brucellosis: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical/Medical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “brucellosis” mean?
A highly contagious bacterial disease primarily affecting animals like cattle, goats, and pigs, which can be transmitted to humans, causing fever and other symptoms.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A highly contagious bacterial disease primarily affecting animals like cattle, goats, and pigs, which can be transmitted to humans, causing fever and other symptoms.
In human medicine, it refers to a systemic infectious disease (also called Malta fever, Mediterranean fever, or undulant fever) caused by ingestion of unpasteurized milk or undercooked meat from infected animals, or through contact with their secretions. In veterinary contexts, it is a major cause of reproductive failure in livestock.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The disease has historical regional names (e.g., Malta fever, Bang's disease) which may appear in older texts from either region.
Connotations
Purely medical/veterinary; carries connotations of agricultural economic loss, zoonotic risk, and food safety.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, confined to specialist discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “brucellosis” in a Sentence
The farmer contracted brucellosis from infected livestock.The herd was tested for brucellosis.Brucellosis is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella.The veterinarian diagnosed the animal with brucellosis.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brucellosis” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The herd was brucellosed. (very rare, technical past participle)
American English
- Authorities moved to brucellose the infected cattle herd. (extremely rare/archaic)
adjective
British English
- The brucellosis-positive reactor cows were culled.
- A brucellosis eradication programme.
American English
- The brucellosis-positive reactor cows were culled.
- A brucellosis eradication program.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in agribusiness insurance or export/import regulations concerning livestock health certificates.
Academic
Common in medical, veterinary, microbiology, and public health research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only be used if someone had been diagnosed with the disease or worked closely with livestock.
Technical
The primary register. Used in clinical diagnoses, veterinary reports, epidemiological studies, and food safety protocols.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “brucellosis”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “brucellosis”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brucellosis”
- Misspelling: 'brucillosis', 'brucelosis'. Mispronunciation: stressing the first syllable (/ˈbruːsəloʊsɪs/). Using it as a non-count noun without an article ('He has brucellosis' is correct).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, human brucellosis is treatable with a prolonged course of specific antibiotics, though relapses can occur. In animals, treatment is often not attempted due to cost, persistence of infection, and risk to humans; infected herds are typically culled.
Extremely rare. Almost all human cases are acquired from animals or contaminated animal products. Person-to-person transmission is not a significant route.
This name comes from the characteristic wavy (undulant) pattern of the fever in humans, which rises and falls over weeks if untreated.
It is more common in regions where livestock diseases are not well-controlled and where consumption of unpasteurized dairy products is traditional, including parts of the Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
A highly contagious bacterial disease primarily affecting animals like cattle, goats, and pigs, which can be transmitted to humans, causing fever and other symptoms.
Brucellosis is usually technical/medical/scientific in register.
Brucellosis: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbruːsəˈləʊsɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbruːsəˈloʊsɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms. The word itself is technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'Bruce' (the bacteriologist Sir David Bruce who discovered the cause) and '-osis' (a condition/disease). 'Bruce's illness' -> Brucellosis.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS AN INVADER / DISEASE IS A THIEF (of health and livestock productivity).
Practice
Quiz
Brucellosis is primarily associated with which of the following?