Cheorwon County Urges Prevention of Canine Brucellosis: "Protect Your Beloved Pets Together"

Canine brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected dogs. The routes of infection include direct exposure of skin wounds or conjunctiva to birthing-related discharges (such as amniotic fluid and placenta), urine, feces, milk, blood, or saliva from infected dogs, as well as inhalation of contaminated dust.

Cheorwon County Office building.

When a person contracts canine brucellosis, it is often asymptomatic. However, in the early stages of infection, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain typically appear within an average of four weeks. In the chronic stage, complications such as joint pain and neurological abnormalities may occur.

When a dog is infected with brucellosis, it may show no symptoms. In female dogs, it can cause infertility, abortion, or stillbirth, while in male dogs, it can lead to orchitis or epididymitis.

The Cheorwon County Public Health Center emphasized the importance of wearing personal protective equipment, thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting after handling the blood, urine, feces, amniotic fluid, or placenta of dogs that have aborted or delivered stillborn puppies, disposing of used protective equipment, washing worn clothing, and strictly following personal hygiene protocols to prevent canine brucellosis.

Park Jeongsun, Director of Disease Control at the Cheorwon County Public Health Center, stated, "If any suspicious symptoms occur, you should visit a medical institution immediately for diagnostic testing and treatment," and urged, "Those who are in occupations involving frequent close contact with companion animals should undergo regular brucellosis testing."