Evaluation of the safety profile of the vaccine candidate Brucella melitensis 16MΔvjbR strain in goats.

Small ruminant brucellosis is caused by the Gram negative cocci-bacillus Brucella (B.) melitensis, the most virulent Brucella species for humans. In goats and sheep, middle to late-term gestation abortion, stillbirths and the delivery of weak infected offspring are the characteristic clinical signs of the disease.