Guidance

Brucella canis: risks and control measures in veterinary practices

Updated 12 June 2025

This guidance has been prepared by a stakeholder group involving representatives from the:

• Health and Safety Executive
• Animal and Plant Health Agency
• British Small Animal Veterinary Association
• Brucella Reference Unit

The Health and Safety Executive provided support to the stakeholder group in producing this guidance, which is aimed at improvements within the veterinary sector. This guidance may go further than the minimum you need to do to comply with the law with regard to health and safety. The guidance was subsequently reviewed and the content agreed by a wider multi-agency stakeholder group that included, in addition to those organisations noted above, representatives from:

• UK Health Security Agency
• Public Health Scotland
• Public Health Wales
• Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
• Welsh Government
• Scottish Government

Aim and principles underpinning this guidance

The aim of this guidance is to provide information for veterinary practices that can be used to help the assessment of risks and implementation of control measures to control exposure of veterinary personnel to B. canis.

This guidance focuses entirely on situations where it is known or suspected that B. canis is present in a dog (for example, from clinical or other history, or clinical signs) where, subject to local risk assessment, additional control measures should be implemented to control exposure of personnel treating the dog.

Where the presence of B. canis in a dog is not known or suspected there is no requirement to implement any control measure that would be additional to those that ought to routinely be in-place to prevent and control exposure of personnel to zoonotic pathogens in the veterinary care setting (as identified by risk assessment).

If infection with B. canis becomes apparent or suspected during the course of a consultation or procedure on a dog, then arrangements should be in place to ensure that additional appropriate preventative measures (as determined by risk assessment) are applied from that point onwards, or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter. This guidance will help practices prepare for this situation.

A practice may consider a procedure low risk for exposure of personnel, but if there is the potential for it to escalate to a higher risk situation (for example, initially no blood or aerosolization is anticipated but this inadvertently occurs), the practice should have arrangements in place that describe what to do in such situations. It may be that the practice plans for the higher risk situation from the outset, or that it applies measures to deal with such situations when needed.

Assessing the risk to veterinary personnel

The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (as amended) (COSHH) requires veterinary practices (as employers) to assess the risks to their employees from the work they are doing and implement appropriate measures to control those risks and prevent exposure of employees to substances hazardous to health (which include biological agents such as B. canis). Find guidance on the production of risk assessments (HSE).

The information provided here can be used by veterinary practices as a guide to inform their risk assessments, which are necessary under the requirements of COSHH. This information does not replace or remove the duties of employers under COSHH for suitable and sufficient local risk assessment and the implementation of measures appropriate to control those risks (or any other requirements of relevant health and safety legislation).

Transmission of Brucella to humans

Humans can acquire brucellosis via:

• ingestion of Brucella bacteria (for example, by consumption of unpasteurised dairy products)
• contact of Brucella bacteria with mucous membranes (for example, through splashes to the eye or inhalation of infectious aerosols)
• contact of Brucella bacteria with broken skin (for example, via cuts and grazes)

Brucella bacteria can be highly infectious via the inhalation route.

The likelihood of becoming infected is related to:

• the amount of material containing B. canis that makes contact
• the concentration of bacteria in that material
• the susceptibility of the host

The species of Brucella also affects the potential for infection. There is limited data regarding the severity of B. canis infection in humans, unlike B. abortus, B. melitensis or B. suis. However, like these other species, B. canis is categorised by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) as a Hazard Group 3 biological agent, meaning that it can cause severe human disease and may be a serious hazard to employees.

General principles when considering risks to personnel

Veterinary procedures with potentially the highest risk of transmission of B. canis to personnel are those that result in exposure to and potential contact with certain bodily fluids and tissues including those associated with:

• the reproductive system (male and female)
• blood
• blood-tainted fluids (including CSF and joint fluid)
• inflammatory fluids
• urine

Direct contact with such materials presents a higher risk of exposure and infection compared to contact with other bodily materials.

Veterinary procedures likely to produce aerosols, respirable droplets or splashes from infectious bodily fluids as noted above (such as fluid aspiration or sampling) present an increased risk of exposure of personnel to B. canis, particularly those procedures with the potential for active/pressurised/retrograde propulsion of fluids.

In general, the overall potential for transmission of B. canis to personnel may be increased when coming into contact with intact dogs compared with neutered dogs.

Handling of an infected female dog or her puppies (alive, deceased or still born) during or immediately after parturition or abortion is likely to present a higher risk of transmission of B. canis to humans due to residual amounts of infectious parturition material that may still be present.

Activities that are likely to increase risk of exposure

The following activities are likely to present the greatest risk of exposure to infectious material, and the risk of exposure to B. canis becomes higher if the infectious material is aerosolised:

• any surgery (including post-mortem), dentistry or other procedures (for example, traumatic sampling, pathology sampling, ‘-oscopy’, centesis, needle aspirate) where blood or other infectious tissue or bodily fluids are released or accessed
• activities requiring the use of sharps where infectious bodily fluid or tissue from a dog is involved, due to the potential for needle sticks and other sharps injuries
• activities that could involve direct contact with female dog’s reproductive tissues, fluids or aspirate samples such as artificial insemination, neutering, catheterisation, caesarean section or birthing
• activities that could involve handling products of abortion or parturition, or neonatal puppies - mouth to snout contact with neonatal puppies and procedures on a recently aborted dog are likely to be of particularly high risk
• activities that could involve contact with dog’s milk (or related fluids) including milk expression, encouraging latch of puppies and mammary examination
• activities that could involve direct contact with male dog’s reproductive tissues, fluids or aspirate samples, including semen collection, castration or urinary catheterisation – it should be noted that urine from a male is likely to be more infectious than from a female, and urine from an intact dog is likely to be more infectious than from a neutered dog; urine from puppies could also be a higher risk
• activities that could result in direct contact with uro-genital tract fluids, secretions or material such as pro-oestral or oestral fluid, semen, smegma or prostatic wash fluid
• activities that could involve direct contact with joint fluid or CSF, especially from an inflamed joint such as during arthrocentesis or joint surgery
• activities involving endoscopy where there is a likelihood of the presence of blood, particularly if aerosolised or splashed
• activities that could involve coming into contact with a dog’s ocular fluids, for example aqueous humour, vitreous humour or ocular discharge, where uveitis is suspected
• activities that could include handling, cleaning or disinfection of soft materials (such as towels, linen, bedding, uniform or clothing, and such like) soiled with reproductive fluids, tissues, blood or other potentially infectious fluid or material
• activities that could include handling, cleaning or disinfection of hard surfaces (such as walls, floors, examination tables, and surgical equipment) soiled with reproductive fluids, tissues or blood or other potentially infectious bodily fluids or material

Although not an exhaustive list, activities that are likely to have a generally lower risk of exposure to B. canis for veterinary personnel include:

• activities that could involve coming into contact with dog’s saliva or respiratory tract secretions including, physical examination, general handling and feeding, intubation and administration of oral, rectal, intranasal or transmucosal medication (where blood not involved). Mouth to snout resuscitation of adult dogs is likely to be of lower risk (where blood is not involved)
• activities that could result in direct contact with the dog’s mucous membranes such as ocular, oral, nasal, anal or rectal examination and sampling (where blood is not involved)
• activities that involve routine venous or arterial access (where uncontained aerosols or splashes are assumed to be unlikely) including, blood sampling using a syringe, intra-venous administration of medicines or blood donation, intra-venous/-arterial catheter placement
• activities that could involve direct contact with non-reproductive tissue fluid, non-reproductive lymphatic fluid or non-reproductive chyle (where no aerosol is generated)
• activities that could involve direct contact with purulent material (not associated with the uro-genital tract) such as examination of wounds or swabbing (where no aerosol is generated)
• activities that could involve coming into contact with dog’s faeces such as rectal examination, anal sac examination or expression, or temperature measurement (where blood is not involved) – contact with rectal or anal discharge is also likely to be of lower risk (where no blood or aerosol generation is involved)

Activities that are likely to have a negligible risk of exposure of personnel to B. canis include:

• brief contact such as petting where there is no contact with bodily fluids
• administration of oxygen or gaseous anaesthesia via a mask, nasal prongs or catheters

Implementation of control measures

When considering risk from veterinary activities on dogs and application of appropriate control measures it may also be useful for veterinary practices to consider whether such risks can be adequately controlled by the implementation of standard infection control precautions (SICPs) or, where SICPs are not considered sufficient to manage the risks of infection, the application of additional transmission-based precautions (TBPs).

TBPs are selected on the basis of the route of transmission of hazardous biological agents (airborne, droplet or contact).

Further information on SICPs and TBPs can be found in the NHS national infection prevention and control manual for England which although primarily focused on infection control in human healthcare, is relevant to the veterinary practice setting.

Application of the COSHH hierarchy of control

The COSHH hierarchy of control requires that where it is not reasonably practicable to prevent exposure to a substance hazardous to health, prevention measures must be applied that are appropriate to the activity and consistent with the risk assessment, in the following order of priority:

1. Design and use of appropriate work processes, systems, engineering controls, equipment, and materials.
2. Control of exposure at source, including organisational measures.
3. Where adequate control cannot be achieved by other means, the provision of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) in addition to the other measures above.

Where the presence of B. canis in a dog is known or suspected, elimination or substitution of the substance hazardous to health is not likely to be possible as the dog needs to be examined and potentially treated. The first step under the hierarchy requires consideration of the design and use of appropriate work processes, systems, engineering controls, equipment and materials, and organisational measures.

Subject to local risk assessment, relevant prevention measures applied in the veterinary practice to control risks associated with a dog carrying B. canis could include the following measures, although this list is not definitive or exhaustive:

• dedicated equipment and single use items
• segregation of activities with the dog in space or time from activities involving dogs (and other species) for which there is no knowledge or suspicion of canine brucellosis
• safe management of the clinical area, for example, keeping the area clean, free from non-essential items, well maintained, in a good state of repair, and easy to clean and disinfect
• reducing the number of personnel involved in procedures and those handling the dog
• restricting access to areas where procedures on the dog are being undertaken
• use of signage to warn personnel not involved during high-risk procedures
• adequate ventilation of clinical area (if relevant or appropriate)
• implementation of effective hand hygiene procedures
• ensuring there is no eating or drinking in the clinical area
• consideration of health of personnel involved in treating the dog (for example, whether pregnant or immunocompromised) and management of their involvement in procedures according to risk
• ensuring personnel with open wounds, abrasions, rashes and the like cover them up appropriately
• where sharps are required, consider the use of safer sharps devices or cut proof gloves (if appropriate and where this does not increase risk in a different way)
• modification of procedures or the use of alternative surgical instruments (for example, hand saw instead of oscillating saw) to reduce the potential for creation of droplets, splashes, aerosols and the like
• implementation of appropriate spillage and emergency arrangements for example, for gross contamination of surgical area
• safe management of contaminated material and waste such as linen, uniforms, bedding, re-usable surgical equipment, biological material or tissue, sharps and other single use items
• application of appropriate disinfection arrangements for contaminated material and items such as linen, uniforms, bedding, cages, re-usable surgical equipment, clinical areas (for example, walls or floor), furniture (for example, examination tables or benches) and PPE

Where adequate control cannot be achieved by other means, PPE must be provided and used in addition to the other measures.

Subject to local risk assessment, relevant PPE that could be applied in veterinary practice to control risks associated with a dog carrying B. canis could include the following items, although this list is not definitive or exhaustive:

• gloves, oversleeves
• coveralls or other suitable clothing (for example, surgical scrubs) that can be removed and disposed or decontaminated as required
• fluid repellent apron
• eye protection such as goggles or visor
• headwear (for example, mob or surgical cap)
• dedicated footwear or single use shoe covers
• Type IIR fluid resistant surgical mask (for droplet precautions only)
• where generation of aerosols are a concern, the use of adequate and suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) such as a FFP3 mask or powered respirator/hood

Where PPE is used to control exposure specific consideration must be given to safe disposal of single-use items and disinfection and storage arrangements for re-usable items such as RPE.

Find further information on the selection and use of RPE (HSE) and the additional requirements that need to be considered when using RPE (for example, face fit testing). This guidance should be consulted if considering controlling exposure to B. canis via the use of RPE.

Waste management

Clinical waste generated in the course of treatment of a dog known or suspected of carrying B. canis must be handled and disposed of according to the requirements of Health Technical Memorandum 07-01: Safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste, which includes veterinary healthcare. The majority of infectious clinical waste from veterinary healthcare will be categorised as 18-02-02* requiring disposal by the known infectious/orange bag waste stream, or 18-02-01 for sharps (in a sharps bin).

Cleaning and disinfection

Appropriate cleaning and disinfection are important in controlling the risk of exposure of personnel to biological agents in the veterinary setting. Procedures should be in place that define how all clinical surfaces, equipment, PPE, and such like, will be cleaned and disinfected to control the risk of exposure of veterinary personnel or others following procedures on a dog known or suspected of carrying B. canis.

Disinfection procedures should specify the types of disinfectant to be used, where they are to be used, and for what purpose, and include appropriate dilution and contact times where relevant. A small bench-top or floor standing autoclave may be appropriate for sterilisation of contaminated reusable clinical equipment.

Employers should provide personnel with suitable instruction and training on cleaning and the selection and use of disinfectants or sterilisers. Options for cleaning hard surfaces include using warm soapy water followed by a sodium hypochlorite solution containing 1,000 ppm chlorine.

Appropriate consideration should also be given to the manufacturer’s instructions for use, any hazardous properties of cleaning or disinfection agents that need to be taken into account under the requirements of COSHH, and any impacts on animal health.

Arrangements should be in place to deal with spillages of infectious bodily fluids. Such spillages need to be dealt with promptly and safely by personnel.

Laboratory tests carried out in the veterinary practice setting

Careful consideration should be given to the need to conduct point of care laboratory diagnostic tests (for example, haematology, cytology, biochemistry) in the veterinary practice setting on specimens from a dog where the presence of B. canis is known or suspected.

Undertaking such tests should be thoroughly risk assessed to determine if sufficient levels of control can be implemented in the practice setting. If it is considered that sufficient levels of control cannot be achieved then the specimens should be sent to a specialised laboratory capable of operating at the appropriate containment level.

Guidance on the application of laboratory containment measures for health and veterinary care facilities and laboratories can be found in relevant HSE guidance.