Definition of "brucellosis" [brucellosis]

• An infectious bacterial disease of humans that is caused by brucellae, transmitted by contact with infected animals, and characterized by fever, malaise, and headache. Also called Gibraltar fever, Malta fever, Mediterranean fever, Rock fever, undulant fever. (noun)
• A disease of domestic animals, such as cattle, sheep, goats, and dogs, that is caused by brucellae and sometimes results in spontaneous abortions in newly infected animals. Also called Bang's disease. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "When they do, they're either forced back in by armed men on horseback and in helicopters, or slaughtered to make sure they don't spread a disease to cattle (even though there's no hard evidence of wild bison ever transmitting the feared disease, known as brucellosis, to domestic livestock)."
• "That's because government livestock officials fear that bison, which carry a disease called brucellosis, may transmit the disease to cattle."
• "SIMON (voice-over): Limited tolerance because the fear is the bison carry a disease called brucellosis, the disease which causes pregnant animals to abort their young, can spread to cattle."