Veterinarian Yu Jianguo, who has struggled for nearly nine years with brucellosis, checks on his sheep on July 10 in Ulanqab, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

A veterinarian infected with the hard-to-treat disease watches a sheep eat grass on July 9. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Qian Peng, one of the veterinarians who participated in the 2011 livestock quarantine, touches his leg while sitting in an unfinished yurt on July 5. Qian has suffered weakness in his leg since contracting brucellosis nearly nine years ago. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Veterinarian Wang Weiguo holds a paint roller on July 12, a tool he used for his part-time job as a painter. After contracting the disease, Wang had to give up the job as he could no longer stand for long hours. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

An infected veterinarian rests in his room on July 9. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin

Veterinarian Zheng Zhu stands in front of a partially damaged home on July 12. As the owner of a cattle farm, Zhang was able to earn as much as 200,000 yuan ($29,434) per year before the disease left him too weak to work. Photo: Chen Liang/Caixin