Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease. Humans, including hunters, usually become infected by handling the infected reproductive tract or fetus. Hunters should wear protective gloves when field dressing late season (January on) cow elk. Reproductive organs, placentae, or swollen testes or joints should not be opened. Symptoms include recurring (undulant) low-grade fever, joint or back aches, night sweats, and depression. Such symptoms can occur weeks or months after exposure and often are not related back to the handling of an infected animal. Symptoms can be successfully treated with a prolonged course of antibiotics. Failure to treat brucellosis can result in lifelong debilitation.