Brucellosis in Elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area

Brucellosis is a highly contagious bacterial disease of both animals and humans. Infection of the female reproductive tract may result in abortion. The most common route of transmission is thought to be oral as a result of licking or ingestion of infected fetuses, placentas, fetal fluids, or vaginal exudates. Such transmission can be exacerbated under conditions that artificially congregate infected and susceptible animals, such as winter feedgrounds. A cooperative state/federal brucellosis eradication program began in 1934 with the goal of eliminating brucellosis from the United States by the end of 1998. The presence of brucellosis in wildlife creates a conflict with this goal. Elimination of brucellosis from the Greater Yellowstone Area (GYA) will not be easy. Over 100,000 elk and more than 3,000 bison inhabit the GYA. The rate of seropositivity can be as high as 88 % in bison and 67% in elk using winter feedgrounds. Several management alternatives bear consideration in addressing the conflict between potentially infected wildlife and susceptible cattle. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has vaccinated thousands of elk on feedgrounds with a reduced-dose B. abortus strain 19 vaccine delivered remotely by biobullet. However, eradication of brucellosis in elk and bison will probably require a combination of several management strategies. K?3ST~RN STA TES AND PROV1IVCES DEER AND ELK WORKSHOP 5:11-21