The American Veterinary Medical Association supports the sustained commitment of all responsible state and federal agencies to continue appropriate and timely actions to eliminate brucellosis in susceptible domestic and wild animal populations. Continued support for disease control efforts, including the detection, control, and sustainable funding for surveillance activities toward the ultimate elimination of brucellosis should remain a national priority.

The veterinary profession has been an integral part of the eradication of brucellosis from the livestock population of the United States. Mission support activities, including improved detection systems, improved vaccines, vaccine delivery systems, and exploration of improved disease management strategies are also a high priority as follows:

• Brucellosis Research Priorities
  • Development of vaccines and vaccine development systems appropriate for target populations: The AVMA supports, as a high priority the rapid development and use of a safe and effective vaccine against brucellosis to promote domestic animal health, public health, wildlife health, and to conserve wildlife populations and their genetic diversity.
  • Development of improved diagnostic tests, validated for the target species, with improved performance (sensitivity and specificity)
  • Conduct studies to further clarify the epizootiology of brucellosis, including disease pathogenesis and transmission parameters. These factors, once determined, may be exploited for control and elimination of the disease in susceptible populations.
• Population disease management:
  • Greater Yellowstone Interagency Brucellosis: The AVMA supports the goal, mission and objectives of the Greater Yellowstone Interagency Brucellosis Committee. The AVMA urges State and Federal agencies to work together to develop a disease management plan to control and eliminate brucellosis from bison and elk populations in the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA).
  • Surveillance: The Association urges USDA to maintain emphasis on comprehensive nationwide surveillance during the last phases of eradication and following eradication.
  • Feral Swine: The AVMA supports the Cooperative State-Federal Swine Brucellosis Eradication Program and related research. The AVMA encourages continued research on the elimination of brucellosis from feral swine populations to support the eradication of brucellosis from the United States.