TRANSMISSION OF BRUCELLOSIS FROM REINDEER TO CATTLE

Sixteen reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) naturally infected with Brucella suis biovar 4 were penned with 6 male and 2 female cattle for 30 days, then removed and euthanatized. During this period, 5 reindee r had fawns, and 2 reindeer aborted. Brucella suis biovar 4 was recove red from all adult reindeer at necropsy. Nine reindeer had B suis biov ar 4 in uterus, udder, and/or milk. The cattle were euthanatized 2 mon ths after the reindeer were removed. Clinical or pathologic signs of d isease were not observed in the cattle. Brucella suis biovar 4 was iso lated from 2 male and from both female cattle at necropsy. The female cattle had positive reactions on the buffered plate antigen test, bruc ellosis card test, tube agglutination test, complement fixation test, and indirect enzyme immunoassay for most of the experiment, but the ma les had inconsistent reactions on these tests. The indirect enzyme imm unoassay was the only test to detect all cattle from which bacteria we re cultured. This study revealed that caution is warranted before movi ng reindeer or caribou into areas Of traditional agriculture.