On Friday, Montana state officials announced that a few thousand head of cattle had been quarantined, as a cow near the border of Yellowstone National Park has tested positive for brucellosis.
Brucellosis was first introduced into North America by infected livestock brought in by European settlers. It’s a zoonotic bacterial infection with forms that affect many different species of mammals, most notably humans, bison, elk, cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats.
In cattle, signs of brucellosis are limited. The disease presents itself most commonly with abortions and premature calf death.
