Veterinary public health: the importance of animal disease to public health in the Caribbean, with special reference to Jamaica

ABSTRACT

A survey of the Caribbean area by questionnaire, reference to official reports, personal contacts and correspondence, was made in order to find out the incidence of brucellosis. It appears that while the incidence is low in animals and man in most territories, it can assume dangerous proportions in animals if given suitable conditions and can become a formidable public health problem. It is evident that brucellosis in the West Indies is a disease introduced from Europe and the U.S.A. by importation of animals to improve local breeds. It is emphasised that strict precautions must be taken in future to ensure that such animals are brucellosis free (AU)