This month, KwaZulu-Natal was hit by the Brucella Bacteria outbreak, with over 400 confirmed cases reported.
The bacteria causes spontaneous abortions in animals and joint pains in humans.
In South Africa, Brucella is carried by cattle and is transmitted to humans commonly through unpasteurised milk. Infected mothers who are breastfeeding may transmit the infection to their infants.
According to the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, the disease was first discovered in the 1850s in Malta. It came to the attention of British medical officers serving on the island after the Crimean War.
Infected goats transmitted brucellosis.
University of Stellenbosch Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Jantjie Taljaard speaks about the origins of the disease and human transmission:
