Brucellosis

What do cattle ranchers in the greater Yellowstone region have in common with British soldiers garrisoned on the island of Malta in the late 1800s? Hint: it's a pathogen that starts with the letter B. It's Brucella abortus. Soldiers and ranchers alike fear this bacterium because it's a natural pathogen and biowarfare agent that can injure humans and animals. Scientists at Idaho National Laboratory have been studying this pathogen for over 10 years.