Brucella classification and regional distribution.

The most significant advances in the field of Brucella classification since the last meeting have been in the field of Brucella phages reviewed by Corbel & Morgan (1980) Handbuch der Bakteriellen Infektionen bei Tieren, 4, Ed Blobel & Schliesser) and Corbel & Morgan (Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology. In press). The Berkeley phages, especially the BK2 variant has been found to be able to lyse smooth B. melitensis, as well as smooth strains of the other species. A further advance has been the isolation of phages which lyse rough strains of B. abortus as well as B. canis and B. ovis. The most recent comprehensive account of the world-wide distribution of brucellosis has been given by Hansen and Müller (1982. Tierarztl Umschau 37, 564-570), supplemented by recent reviews by Morgan, Hellman, Weber, Meyer, and Wundt (1980) in Handbuch der Bakteriellen Infektionen bei Tieren 4). Except in those countries where B. abortus infection has been eradicated in cattle, the disease still remains a world-wide problem in cattle, sheep, goats and pigs as well as in wild animal reservoirs in certain parts of the world.