State of Israel
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Office of the Spokesperson of the Ministry
June 16, 2014
18 of Sivan 5774
Announcement 949/14
The Ministry of Agriculture is fighting the Brucellosis disease, which infects both
human beings and animals, and is launching a multi-year plan for its eradication
According to the plan, government veterinary doctors will vaccinate all the small
ruminants in the area of operation over five years at the country’s expense
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease (a disease which can be transmitted from animals to human beings) that is
caused by the Brucella bacteria. The disease infects mostly small ruminants, infects cattle a little, and is
transmitted to humans through contact with an infected animal or through the consumption of unpasteurized
dairy products. The Brucella bacteria causes miscarriages in pregnant sheep and goats and damages the fertility
of males. Other than miscarriage, the infected small ruminants do not demonstrate any clinical symptoms and
appears to be healthy. In small ruminants, the disease is incurable after infection, and its prevention is possible
only through vaccination at a young age before infection can occur.
In human beings, the disease is called the Malta fever, and infection is caused by the consumption of infected
dairy products, which were not pasteurized prior to their processing or marketing, or as a result of direct contact
with excrements of infected small ruminants. In humans, the disease may appear as a light Flue, but may also
cause serious and even life threatening illness, requiring hospitalization, and causing irreversible damages, such
as sterility and disability.
According to the epidemiological date of the Veterinary Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, most infected
herds of small ruminants, together with most cases of human infection, are located in the Negev. There has been
a sharp rise in the number of human infection cases in the Negev over the last two years. The Ministry of
Health reported 336 sick people in 2013, compared with 183 in 2012. The assumption is that the actual infection
rate is even higher, since there are cases that are not reported to the Ministry of Health. The disease is especially
common among the Bedouin population in the Negev.
According to the data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the rate of vaccination against
Brucellosis in the Negev is at only 30% at present. According to the assessment made by the Veterinary
Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, approximately 10% - 20% of small ruminant herds in the Bedouin
Dafna Yurista
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Telephone: 03-9485436, Fax: 03-9485782
email: dafnay@moag.gov.il
Amnon Liberman
Media Advisor to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development
Telephone: 050-6214210
email: amnonl@moag.gov.il
Derech HaMakabim, Rishon LeZion, POB 30, Beit Dagan 50250 Internet site: www.moag.gov.il
State of Israel
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Office of the Spokesperson of the Ministry
population are infected with the Disease; the amount of infected animals in a herd which is defined as infected is
approximately 10% - 20%.
Following this data, a five year plan for fighting the disease has been drawn. The area of operation shall focus
on the Negev, an area defined as all the area south of the line stretching between Beit Kama to Netivot, which
includes the entire population of small ruminants at risk. According to the plan, government veterinary doctors
shall vaccinate all small ruminants within the area of the operation over a period of five years at the country’s
expense, in order to minimize the vulnerability to infection to a level in which the disease will be eradicated.
The cost of the execution of the plan is estimated at 7.5 million NIS for the first year.
Constant monitoring and follow up shall be performed throughout the duration of the plan’s execution in order
to prevent the resurgence of the disease. Together with the vaccination, and in order to maximize the benefit for
the public, the possibility of marking the small ruminants with an electronic identification chip, together with
the registration and documentation of all the herds and animals, will be examined. These actions will allow
better control and will facilitate the execution of enforcement activities. According to the experience of
advanced countries in handling the Brucellosis disease, this method is successful.
Together with the vaccination against Brucellosis, other vaccinations against animal diseases, such as the Foot
and Mouth disease, shall also be administered.
The Head of the Veterinary Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Nadav Galon: “We estimate that
fully subsidizing the cost of the vaccination and marking shall increase the growers’ compliance and shall
significantly improve the rate of vaccination, which could even reach 80%, a fact which will help significantly
reduce the vulnerability of infection and the infection with Brucellosis in small ruminants and human beings in
the Negev.”
Sincerely,
Dafna Yurista
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Dafna Yurista
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Telephone: 03-9485436, Fax: 03-9485782
email: dafnay@moag.gov.il
Amnon Liberman
Media Advisor to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development
Telephone: 050-6214210
email: amnonl@moag.gov.il
Derech HaMakabim, Rishon LeZion, POB 30, Beit Dagan 50250 Internet site: www.moag.gov.il