Definition

Noun: 1. Brucellosis in animals: An infectious bacterial disease primarily affecting cattle and other domestic animals, characterized by symptoms such as spontaneous abortion, infertility, and reduced milk production. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella. 2. Zoonotic potential: The disease is transmissible to human beings, where it is known as undulant fever or Malta fever, causing flu-like symptoms that may become chronic.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The entire herd was quarantined after a confirmed case of Bang's disease.
  • Bang's disease causes significant economic losses in the dairy industry due to abortion and reduced yields.
  • Veterinarians are vaccinated against Bang's disease due to its risk of transmission to humans.

Advanced Usage

• Eponym: The term is an eponym, named after the Danish veterinarian Bernhard Bang, who identified the causative bacterium () in cattle in 1897.
• Technical/Agricultural Context: The term is primarily used in veterinary medicine, agriculture, and animal husbandry. In many modern scientific and international contexts, the more precise term "bovine brucellosis" is preferred.

Variants and Related Words

• Brucellosis (n.): The broader medical and scientific term for the disease in both animals and humans.
• Undulant fever (n.): The name for the human form of the disease, referring to its characteristic fluctuating fever.
• Malta fever (n.): Another historical name for the human infection.
• Contagious abortion (n.): A descriptive, non-eponymic term sometimes used synonymously with Bang's disease in animals.

Synonyms

• Bovine brucellosis
• Contagious abortion (in animals)

Notes on Usage

• Capitalization: The 'B' in "Bang's disease" is typically capitalized as it derives from a proper name (Bernhard Bang).
• Modern Preference: While "Bang's disease" is historically significant and still understood, the term "brucellosis" is more universally used in contemporary scientific and public health communications to encompass all forms and hosts of the disease.

Noun

1. an infectious disease of domestic animals often resulting in spontaneous abortion; transmittable to human beings