The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is developing a new technology that will see rapid diagnostics and identification of brucella outbreaks in cattle. Brucella is a disease carried by cattle and is commonly transmitted to humans through unpasteurized milk. This bacteria causes spontaneous abortions in animals and joint pains in humans. The technology is a lab-on-chip, also known as microfluidic technology to speed up diagnostics to identify brucella outbreaks at farms and abattoirs.

In November alone, 400 cases of the brucella bacteria outbreak were reported in KwaZulu-Natal. To tell us more, we are joined by a Senior Researcher at CSIR’s Veterinary Molecular Diagnostics and Vaccines Unit, Dr Essa Suleman…