BANGKOK, Thailand (AP)--Thai livestock workers Sept. 7 culled 2,036 goats infected with a bacterial disease that can spread to humans and has already sickened 29 people, a livestock official said.

A sample taken from the goats in western Thailand tested positive for brucellosis, best known as a livestock and wildlife disease, prompting the cull, said Yukol Limlamthong, director general of Department of Livestock Development. "Otherwise, the disease could have spread," he said.

Brucellosis causes abortions and other reproductive problems in many mammals, including cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, swine, bison, elk and occasionally horses. In humans, symptoms can include fever, night sweats, joint pain, headache, chills and muscle weakness.

"There were 29 people who contracted the disease. They tested positive, and they're now taking medication under a doctor's supervision. There have been no complications," said Yukol.

The disease can be contracted by humans who work closely with goats and have open sores, or through consuming unpasteurized milk or cheese. It can be treated successfully with antibiotics, Yukol said.

The goats, which were raised for meat and had been living together, were culled at the Mahboongkrong farm in the mountains of Kanchanaburi province to prevent the spread of the disease.

The livestock department has been surveying the entire country for brucellosis, which has not been found in any other areas, Yukol said.

Kanchanaburi is 110 kilometers (70 miles) west of Bangkok.