Bulgaria's national veterinary service confirmed on September 12 2007 a second outbreak of the rare animal disease brucellosis.

The service said in a statement that 36 goats out of a herd of 70 had tested positive for the rare infection in the southern town of Harmanli.

"All necessary measures for containing the disease have been taken," it added as quoted by Agence France-Press (AFP).

Brucellosis is also called undulant fever or Malta fever and is an infectious disease transmitted from animals to humans, caused by bacteria.

The disease is transmitted either through contaminated or untreated milk and milk-products or through direct contact with infected animals.

The first outbreak in Bulgaria was in August 2007 in the nearby village of Valche Pole, where dozens of goats and sheep were found to be infected after a woman fell ill with brucellosis-like symptoms, AFP said.

Initial symptoms of the disease include weakness, fever, sweating, headaches and muscular and joint pains, resembling ordinary flu and making diagnosis more difficult.

The disease, which is very rare in Bulgaria, can be fatal for humans but cannot be transferred from one person to another, AFP said.