In order to reduce the risk of getting brucellosis, doctors advise us to avoid unpasteurized dairy foods. In the United States, few cases of brucellosis have been linked to raw dairy products from domestic herds.

It is best to avoid unpasteurized milk, cheese and ice cream, no matter what their origin. And in case you’re traveling to other countries, avoid all raw dairy foods. Cook meat thoroughly well. Cook it until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 to 165 F (63 to 74 C).

When eating out, order beef and pork at least medium-well. It’s unlikely that domestic meat in the United   States contains brucella bacteria, but proper cooking destroys other harmful bacteria such as salmonella and Escherichia coli. When traveling abroad, avoid buying meat from street vendors, and order all meat well-done.

If you’re a veterinarian, farmer, hunter or slaughterhouse worker, try to wear rubber gloves when handling sick or dead animals or animal tissue or when assisting an animal giving birth. Also take safety precautions in high-risk workplaces. If you’re a laboratory worker, handle all specimens under appropriate biosafety conditions. Treat all workers who have been exposed promptly. Slaughterhouses should also follow protective measures, such as separation of the killing floor from other processing areas and use of protective clothing.
In the United States and in Uganda, an aggressive vaccination program has nearly eliminated brucellosis in livestock herds.

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