Brucellosis persists in the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem in elk and bison, and is a recurring threat to domestic livestock production.  It also has reproductive effects on elk and bison.  The department has work for many years with personnel in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to address specific research needs concerning brucellosis, particularly related to vaccines.  Since Wyoming lost its brucellosis free status in February 2004, due to brucellosis in one herd in the western part of the state, research on this topic remains a high priority for the department and for the Wyoming Livestock Board. The state of Wyoming has established a task force to look at the science and management issue of brucellosis, and two faculty members (D O’Toole and K Mills) serve on the task force or its technical subcommittee

Investigators: Dr. EW Williams, Dr. Todd Cornish, Dr. Walt Cook, Dr. Don Montgomery, Dr. E. Lee Belden.

Publications

Kreeger T, Cook W, Edwards W, Cornish T: 2004. Brucellosis in captive Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) caused by Brucella abortus biovar 4  J Wildl Dis. 2004 Apr;40(2):311-5.

Van Houten CK Jr, Lee Belden E, Kreeger TJ, Williams ES, Edwards WH, Thorne ET, Cook WE, Mills KW.  Validation of a Brucella abortus competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for use in Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni). J Wildl Dis. 2003 Apr;39(2):316-22.

Cook WE, Williams ES, Thorne ET, Kreeger TJ, Stout G, Bardsley K, Edwards H, Schurig G, Colby LA, Enright F, Elzer PH. Brucella abortus strain RB51 vaccination in elk. I. Efficacy of reduced dosage. J Wildl Dis. 2002 Jan;38(1):18-26.

Cook WE, Williams ES, Thorne ET, Taylor SK, Anderson S. Safety of Brucella abortus strain RB51 in deer mice. J Wildl Dis. 2001 Jul;37(3):621-5.

Cook WE, Williams ES, Thorne ET, Kreeger TJ, Stout GW, Schurig G, Colby LA, Enright F, Elzer PH.  Safety of Brucella abortus strain RB51 in bull elk. J Wildl Dis. 2000 Jul;36(3):484-8.

Gese EM, Schultz RD, Johnson MR, Williams ES, Crabtree RL, Ruff RL. Serological survey for diseases in free-ranging coyotes (Canis latrans) in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. J Wildl Dis. 1997 Jan;33(1):47-56.

Williams ES, Thorne ET, Anderson SL, Herriges JD Jr. Brucellosis in free-ranging bison (Bison bison) from Teton County, Wyoming. J Wildl Dis. 1993 Jan;29(1):118-22.