Table 1.
Brucella species and biovars, preferential hosts and pathogenicity for humans
| Species | Biovars | Colony morphology | Preferential host(s) | Pathogenicity in humans* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
B. melitensis |
1-3 |
smooth |
sheep, goat |
high |
|
B. abortus |
1-6, 9 |
smooth |
cattle |
high |
|
B. suis |
1, 3 |
smooth |
pig |
high |
| 2 |
smooth |
wild boar, hare |
low |
|
| 4 |
smooth |
reindeer, caribou |
high |
|
| 5 |
smooth |
rodent |
no |
|
|
B. neotomae |
- |
smooth |
desert rat |
moderate |
|
B. ovis |
- |
rough |
ram |
no |
|
B. canis |
- |
rough |
dog |
moderate |
|
B. pinnipedialis |
- |
smooth |
cetacean |
?† |
|
B. ceti |
- |
smooth |
seal |
? |
|
B. microti |
- |
smooth |
soil, vole, fox |
? |
| B. inopinata | - | smooth | human | ? |