Brucellosis milk products, or by pasteurizing all milk that is to be ingested by human beings, either in its unaltered form or as a derivate, such as cheese. The mortality of the disease in 1909, as recorded in the British Army and Navy stationed in Malta, was 2%. The most frequent cause of death was endocarditis. Recent advances in antibiotics and surgery have been successful in preventing death due to endocarditis. Prevention of human brucellosis can be achieved by eradication of the disease in animals by vaccination and other veterinary control methods such as testing herds/flocks and slaughtering animals when infection
Swine brucellosis nickel transport, "nikA", is activated by metal ion deficiency and is expressed once in the phagosome. Nickel is essential for many enzymatic reactions, including ureolysis to produce ammonia which in turn may neutralize acidic pH. Since "B. suis" is unable to grow in a strongly acidic medium, it could be protected from acidification by the ammonia. Summary: The most frequent clinical sign following "B. suis" infection is abortion in pregnant females, reduced milk production, and infertility. Cattle can also be transiently infected when they share pasture or facilities with infected pigs, and "B. suis" can be transmitted by cow’s milk.