Explainer: How thousands in China got infected by brucellosis in one single outbreak
BEIJING (Reuters) - Brucellosis, a bacterial disease with flu-like symptoms, has infected more than 6,000 people in a single outbreak in northwestern China.
Usually caused by contact with animals, the outbreak in Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu province, was due to a leak at a vaccine plant, according to Lanzhou’s health commission. People are still being treated at hospitals even though the outbreak happened a year ago.
China’s top legislative body passed a law last month to establish protocols for biosecurity risk prevention and control, and systems to respond to risks including sudden outbreaks.
Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease, or a disease in animals that can spread to humans. It is caused by a bacteria that affects sheep, goats, cattle, swine and even dogs and is reported in many countries.
Humans generally get the disease from direct contact with infected animals through the consumption of tainted animal products such as unpasteurised milk or cheese, or through the inhalation of airborne agents.
