SPADA

STAKEHOLDER PANEL ON AGENT  DETECTION ASSAYS (SPADA) Background & Fitness for Purpose Brucella suis

Frank F. Roberto, PhD k ll Roc vi e, MD 23 March 2016

Background • Brucellosis, aka Malta Fever, undulant fever, Bang’s  Disease, fistulous withers (in horses) • The causal agent is an intracellular bacterial  pathogen, first isolated after cases of the disease in  garrison troops on the island of Malta who drank  infected goat’s milk (Sir David Bruce,  “Micrococcus  melitensis”) • Pasteurization of dairy products and culling of  infected animals have reduced the prevalence of the  disease in many domesticated species, but wildlife  reservoirs remain throughout the world including US