Difficulty of Predicting Anthrax Outbreaks
CANADA - At this time of year producers want to know if the weather conditions might unleash anthrax bacteria spores from the soil, where the disease can survive for up to 80 years.
27 May 2008
2 minute read
It’s not easy to predict, says Dr. Gerald Hauer, assistant chief provincial veterinarian for the Food Safety Division of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
Persistent wet weather followed by a drought can lead to an outbreak, or dry weather followed by periods of heavy rain. The anthrax-optimal conditions could also include man-made excavations or anything else that disturbs the soil and exposes spores. Sometimes outbreaks occur even when there are no predisposing factors.
* "Any time you have an unexplained sudden death, you should get it examined by a veterinarian just to determine whether it is anthrax or not" |
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Dr. Gerald Hauer, assistant chief provincial veterinarian for the Food Safety Division of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.
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An anthrax outbreak in Saskatchewan killed 804 livestock two years ago. That year, there were heavy rains and flooding in the spring followed by a dry summer.
“But last year we had weather that ought to have resulted in an anthrax outbreak, says Hauer. “ We had lots of rain early and then it got dry – what the books say is good for anthrax. There was anthrax on a few farms, but, the disease wasn’t widespread across the province.”
Anthrax can kill “pretty much any livestock,” says Hauer. “It goes into the blood and spreads to every tissue of the animal. The bacteria are also zoonotic, meaning that people can also get infected as well. But such cases are very rare.
Most often anthrax kills cattle, sheep, goats and horses. Livestock can die only hours after showing early symptoms of anthrax, including refusing feed or producing less milk. The most common sign of anthrax is an otherwise healthy animal that dies suddenly. Treatment usually fails.
How can you protect livestock from anthrax? Producers can get in touch with their veterinarians for advice on whether vaccination is appropriate for their animals. The best way to battle anthrax is to get an immediate examination for any animal that dies suddenly.
“Any time you have an unexplained sudden death, you should get it examined by a veterinarian just to determine whether it is anthrax or not,” Hauer says. “If anthrax is confirmed, the case must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and appropriate precautions will be taken to prevent spread of the disease.”
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