Bacterial diseases represent an important and persistent threat to ruminant health, animal welfare, livestock production, and public health in Iraq, with consequences for household livelihoods, food security, and the sustainability of agricultural enterprises. This narrative review examines the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, and current prevention and control strategies for major bacterial infections affecting cattle, sheep, and goats. The diseases considered include brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, mastitis associated with Mycoplasma bovis and other bacterial pathogens, Q fever caused by Coxiella burnetii, anthrax caused by Bacillus anthracis, leptospirosis, and salmonellosis. Particular attention is given to published Iraqi investigations of Brucella molecular diversity and seroprevalence, molecular findings from mastitic cattle, and the public health relevance of zoonotic transmission. Where Iraqi surveillance evidence is limited, studies from nearby Middle Eastern countries are identified explicitly as regional comparisons rather than treated as estimates for Iraq. Diagnostic methods, vaccination programmes, farm-level biosecurity, food safety, and responsible antimicrobial use are evaluated in relation to practical control needs. The review emphasizes that better integrated veterinary and public health surveillance, improved access to reliable diagnostic testing, coordinated animal-health programmes, and sustained engagement with livestock keepers are necessary to reduce disease burdens and protect rural communities.
